Southern Rakhine evergreen rainforest

Description

No confirmed occurrences of this ecosystem remain. However, Davis (1960) mapped all of Rakhine as Tropical rain forest and noted that evergreen tropical rainforest occurs where annual rainfall is >2,250 mm. This suggests that small areas of southern Rakhine were once evergreen forest, occurring where weather is warm throughout the year and wet enough to compensate a short dry season. tropical rainforests in climatically comparable areas to the east of the Ayeyarwady delta in Kayin state have complex structure and closed tree canopies up to 40 m tall, with numerous epiphytes and few deciduous species present, unlike forests further north on the Rakhine Range. Owing to extensive agricultural expansion and forest cutting for hardwood, this ecosystem is likely to be collapsed. If any small patches remain, they are likely to be under severe human pressure.

Assessment summary

Very small patches of evergreen tropical rainforest have been mapped on the southern Rakhine Range within the high rainfall zone. These are potentially small relics of the ecosystem, but remain to be confirmed on the ground. If these patches prove not to be tropical rainforest, then the ecosystem has collapsed. If any patches are confirmed, then the status of the ecosystem is Critically Endangered under criteria B1. The status of the ecosystem is therefore Critically Endangered (plausible range Critically Endangered – Collapsed).