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Lower montane forests occur above 750 meters on the
Atlantic slope and up to 1500 meters on the Pacific slope, extending up to 2300 meters elevation. The upper montane forests extend from approximately 2,300 meters up to 3,300 meters elevation. A belt of subalpine dwarf forests forms the transition
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The forests are highly biodiverse, with many species including many endemic species. The
Cordillera de Talamanca is home to an estimated 90% of Costa Rica's plant species. Over 30% of the ecoregion's plant species and over 50% of the high mountain flora are considered
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The
Talamancan montane forests are one of Central America's most intact ecoregions, although the oak forests in particular have been cleared for pasture and charcoal making. 62% of the ecoregion is protected by national and international parks, including
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301:. Lauraceae are the predominant canopy trees in the northern mountains, while oaks are dominant in the upper montane forests of the southerly Cordillera de Talamanca.
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Kappelle, M., van
Uffelen, J.G. (2006). Altitudinal Zonation of Montane Oak Forests Along Climate and Soil Gradients in Costa Rica. In: Kappelle, M. (eds)
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Birds are also well represented. The Costa Rican portion holds 450 species, the
Panamanian 225. Notable locally threatened birds in the forest are the
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The
Talamancan montane forests cover a discontinuous area of 16,300 square kilometers (6,300 sq mi) in Cordilleran mountains, including the
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Kappelle, M., Cleef, A. M., & Chaverri, A. (1992). Phytogeography of
Talamanca Montane Quercus Forests, Costa Rica.
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is predominant in the shrub layer, growing densely to 6 meters high. Other plants in the shrub layer include the
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Laurels and oaks are the predominant canopy trees in the lower montane forests, growing up to 40 meters high.
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grows densely near the upper forest limit (approximately 3,200 meters elevation) on the
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The Costa Rican portion harbors 136 mammal species, the
Panamanian 84. Characteristic mammals include
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The montane forests are surrounded at lower elevations by lowland forests, including the
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The forests are made up of evergreen trees, including many species (genera
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At least 7 amphibian species are endemic to the
Cordillera including the
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United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization
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The ecoregion corresponds to the Costa Rica and Panama highlands
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1414:"Talamanca Range-La Amistad Reserves / La Amistad National Park"
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is the most common oak, and other common canopy trees include
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Endemic Bird Areas factsheet: Costa Rica and Panama highlands
1387:. Ecological Studies, vol 185. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg.
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Neotropical tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests
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Ecology and Conservation of Neotropical Montane Oak Forests
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449:. There is a diverse understory of trees, including
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313:between the montane forests and the high-elevation
554:. The shrub layer can include tree ferns (family
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1114:) are endemic or near-endemic to the ecoregion.
651:, which can be found in the Panamanian region.
78:tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests
437:is a common canopy tree, along with species of
406:characterize the shrub layer, with the bamboo
1438:Ponce, M.; Navarro, D.; Batista, A. (2022).
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245:to the south on the Pacific slope, and the
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1302:. DOPA Explorer. Accessed 27 January 2023
1469:La Amistad Biosphere Reserve: Data Sheet
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1389:https://doi.org/10.1007/3-540-28909-7_4
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241:on the Atlantic (Caribbean) slope, the
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1352:. One Earth. Accessed 27 January 2023.
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119:16,300 km (6,300 sq mi)
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247:Costa Rican seasonal moist forests
91:Costa Rican seasonal moist forests
16:Ecoregion in Costa Rica and Panama
14:
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956:black-and-yellow silky-flycatcher
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1230:RincĂłn de la Vieja National Park
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1370:https://doi.org/10.2307/2845453
1234:Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve
1131:Cordillera Talamanca salamander
940:black-billed nightingale-thrush
808:Trogon collaris aurantiiventris
620:) is endemic to the ecoregion.
239:Isthmian-Atlantic moist forests
178:tropical moist broadleaf forest
96:Isthmian-Atlantic moist forests
49:Ecoregion territory (in purple)
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1399:BirdLife International (2023)
1210:Braulio Carrillo National Park
243:Isthmian-Pacific moist forests
102:Isthmian-Pacific moist forests
1:
1489:Ecoregions of Central America
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1320:"Talamancan montane forests"
1198:La Amistad Biosphere Reserve
964:long-tailed silky flycatcher
7:
1403:. Accessed 27 January 2023.
1218:Irazu Volcano National Park
708:purple-throated mountaingem
337:Ardisia glandulosomarginata
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1484:Talamancan montane forests
1350:Talamancan Montane Forests
1300:Talamancan montane forests
1008:Pselliophorus luteoviridis
972:golden-browed chlorophonia
864:Cephalopterus glabricollis
844:streak-breasted treehunter
716:white-throated mountaingem
692:fiery-throated hummingbird
581:Comarostaphylis arbutoides
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171:Talamancan montane forests
22:Talamancan montane forests
1452:10.11646/ZOOTAXA.5129.4.4
1222:Volcán Barú National Park
1214:Volcán Poás National Park
1175:Bolitoglossa cathyledecae
1127:Bolitoglossa cathyledecae
1020:golden-bellied flycatcher
980:sooty-capped bush tanager
892:golden-bellied flycatcher
848:Thripadectes rufobrunneus
780:black-breasted wood quail
748:black-bellied hummingbird
724:magenta-throated woodstar
720:Lampornis castaneoventris
700:white-bellied mountaingem
668:glow-throated hummingbird
542:Sphyrospermum cordifolium
386:. Dwarf palms, including
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155:Relatively stable/intact
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1494:Ecoregions of Costa Rica
1226:Cerro Hoya National Park
1191:Conservation and threats
1123:ChiriquĂ fire salamander
1056:Basileuterus melanogenys
960:Phainoptila melanoxantha
896:Myiodynastes hemichrysus
860:bare-necked umbrellabird
836:silvery-fronted tapaculo
796:bare-shanked screech owl
784:Odontophorus leucolaemus
645:bare-necked umbrellabird
587:
393:Chamaedorea warscewiczii
278:) of the laurel family (
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208:Cordillera de Guanacaste
1366:Journal of Biogeography
1084:spangle-cheeked tanager
976:Chlorophonia callophrys
944:Catharus gracilirostris
868:black-capped flycatcher
856:Margarornis rubiginosus
840:Scytalopus argentifrons
828:sulphur-winged parakeet
792:Glaucidium costaricanum
768:Zentrygon costaricensis
764:buff-fronted quail-dove
756:yellow-green brushfinch
684:scintillant hummingbird
637:sulphur-winged parakeet
415:Sphaeradenia irazuensis
220:Cordillera de Talamanca
1324:Terrestrial Ecoregions
1206:Barbilla National Park
1202:ChirripĂł National Park
1068:black-thighed grosbeak
1048:Oreothlypis gutturalis
1044:flame-throated warbler
1000:Pselliophorus tibialis
984:Chlorospingus pileatus
776:Zentrygon chiriquensis
760:Atlapetes luteoviridis
752:Eupherusa nigriventris
732:coppery-headed emerald
641:three-wattled bellbird
545:, and the terrestrial
518:Chusquea talamancensis
434:Sciodaphyllum pittieri
353:Quetzalia occidentalis
329:Mollinedia viridiflora
234:on the highest peaks.
1504:Forests of Costa Rica
1326:. World Wildlife Fund
1135:Bolitoglossa sooyorum
1112:Antrostomus saturatus
1076:blue-and-gold tanager
1052:black-cheeked warbler
992:Arremon crassirostris
932:black-faced solitaire
920:Troglodytes ochraceus
912:Cyanolyca argentigula
820:red-fronted parrotlet
804:orange-bellied trogon
788:Costa Rican pygmy owl
736:Microchera cupreiceps
688:Selasphorus scintilla
660:Talamanca hummingbird
532:Cavendishia bracteata
528:Disterigma humboldtii
446:Podocarpus oleifolius
428:Quercus costaricensis
341:Chrysochlamys allenii
292:Quercus costaricensis
212:Cordillera de Tilarán
1499:Ecoregions of Panama
1446:. 5129(4): 543–556.
1119:splendid poison frog
996:yellow-thighed finch
968:Ptiliogonys caudatus
908:silvery-throated jay
740:white-tailed emerald
712:Lampornis calolaemus
704:Lampornis hemileucus
680:Selasphorus flammula
633:Chamaepetes unicolor
389:Geonoma hoffmanniana
345:Billia hippocastanum
333:Trichilia havanensis
1514:Flora of Costa Rica
1154:Myiozetetes similis
1100:slaty flowerpiercer
1072:Pheucticus tibialis
1064:Myioborus torquatus
1060:collared whitestart
1016:Pezopetes capitalis
928:Thryorchilus browni
900:yellow-winged vireo
824:Touit costaricensis
812:prong-billed barbet
772:Chiriqui quail-dove
744:Microchera chionura
676:volcano hummingbird
664:Eugenes spectabilis
625:resplendent quetzal
614:Talamancan oryzomys
551:Werauhia williamsii
536:Macleania rupestris
515:. The dwarf bamboo
464:Zanthoxylum scheryi
452:Rhamnus oreodendron
383:Ocotea holdridgeana
369:Miconia platyphylla
361:Alchornea latifolia
349:Damburneya salicina
317:alpine grasslands.
151:Conservation status
33:Forests around the
1368:, 19(3), 299–315.
1096:Acanthidops bairdi
1040:Zeledonia coronata
1012:large-footed finch
1004:yellow-green finch
936:Myadestes melanops
888:Contopus ochraceus
872:Empidonax atriceps
832:Pyrrhura hoffmanni
816:Semnornis frantzii
728:Philodice bryantae
672:Selasphorus ardens
456:Drimys granadensis
412:and the palm-like
399:Prestoea acuminata
323:Quercus copeyensis
298:Quercus copeyensis
249:to the northwest.
232:Costa Rican páramo
216:Cordillera Central
1509:Forests of Panama
1254:Costa Rica portal
1180:ChiriquĂ Province
1024:Melozone leucotis
988:sooty-faced finch
952:Turdus nigrescens
880:Contopus lugubris
800:Megascops clarkii
696:Panterpe insignis
656:endemic bird area
618:Nephelomys devius
558:), dwarf palms,
473:, and species of
460:Miconia schnellii
409:Aulonemia viscosa
373:Lozania mutisiana
365:Meliosma glabrata
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145:Conservation
649:harpy eagle
578:. The tree
564:Acanthaceae
556:Cyatheaceae
513:Myrsinaceae
282:), and two
66:Neotropical
1478:Categories
1330:2013-09-19
1240:References
1232:, and the
1036:wrenthrush
876:dark pewee
629:black guan
576:Solanaceae
501:Araliaceae
476:Weinmannia
425:, chiefly
421:Evergreen
224:Cerro Hoya
188:Costa Rica
131:Costa Rica
1159:SarapiquĂ
572:Rubiaceae
568:Ericaceae
547:bromeliad
505:Lauraceae
492:Symplocos
484:Vaccinium
403:acuminata
280:Lauraceae
268:Nectandra
183:, are in
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174:ecoregion
160:Protected
124:Countries
111:Geography
1182:, Panama
610:anteater
480:Viburnum
440:Magnolia
1444:Zootaxa
1129:), and
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525:shrubs
523:ericoid
307:endemic
284:endemic
202:Setting
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84:Borders
55:Ecology
1423:12 May
658:. The
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598:cougar
594:jaguar
574:, and
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511:, and
496:Clusia
488:Styrax
467:, and
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380:, and
315:páramo
275:Phoebe
264:Persea
260:Ocotea
218:, and
192:Panama
136:Panama
602:tapir
588:Fauna
401:var.
253:Flora
181:biome
73:Biome
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