Ecoregions
Due to long isolation from major landmasses, and the influence of geography and climate, the biodiversity of Madagascar is extremely rich and diverse across relatively small areas. The island-continent has evolved remarkably diverse ecosystems including lush tropical rain forests, mountain peaks, tropical dry forests, near-desert environments, mangrove forests, and coral reefs - each supporting a stunning array of unique species.
It is estimated that 85% of the island’s 12,000 species of flowering plants are found nowhere else in the world. This unique biodiversity has led to the recognition of Madagascar as a "living laboratory" and the "seventh continent".
This Global ecoregion is made up of these terrestrial ecoregions: Madagascar subhumid forests; Madagascar ericoid thickets; Madagascar lowland forests.
The Madagascar Subhumid Forests are scattered in several "islands" of montane humid forest throughout the central highlands of Madagascar. The lowland forests of Madagascar include a narrow strip of humid forests along the east coast, low elevation forests.
The Madagascar ericoid thickets are 4 large mountainous formations, called massifs that rise in scattered points from the island of Madagascar. The name of the ecoregion is based on its principal species of vegetation - thicket-forming plants of the Ericaceae (blueberry) family.
Read More:
This Global ecoregion is made up of these terrestrial ecoregions: Madagascar subhumid forests; Madagascar ericoid thickets; Madagascar lowland forests.
The Madagascar Subhumid Forests are scattered in several "islands" of montane humid forest throughout the central highlands of Madagascar. The lowland forests of Madagascar include a narrow strip of humid forests along the east coast, low elevation forests.
The Madagascar ericoid thickets are 4 large mountainous formations, called massifs that rise in scattered points from the island of Madagascar. The name of the ecoregion is based on its principal species of vegetation - thicket-forming plants of the Ericaceae (blueberry) family.
Read More:
WWF MWIOPO Project Sites