The Eastern Java-Bali rain forests

ecoregion An ecoregion (ecological region) or ecozone (ecological zone) is an ecologically and geographically defined area that is smaller than a bioregion, which in turn is smaller than a biogeographic realm. Ecoregions cover relatively large areas of l ...

(WWF ID: IM0113) covers the lowland areas of the eastern half of the island of

Java Java (; id, Jawa, ; jv, ꦗꦮ; su, ) is one of the Greater Sunda Islands in Indonesia. It is bordered by the Indian Ocean to the south and the Java Sea to the north. With a population of 151.6 million people, Java is the world's List ...

, and the island of

Bali Bali () is a province of Indonesia and the westernmost of the Lesser Sunda Islands. East of Java and west of Lombok, the province includes the island of Bali and a few smaller neighbouring islands, notably Nusa Penida, Nusa Lembongan, and Nu ...

, in

Indonesia Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania between the Indian and Pacific oceans. It consists of over 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, and parts of Borneo and New Guine ...

. This ecoregion is distinct from the Eastern Java-Bali montane rain forests, which exists at higher altitudes where mountain forest habitat dominates. Very little of the natural lowland rainforest remains in its pre-human settlement state.

Location and description

The ecoregion covers the lowlands of the eastern half of Java and Bali. Also included are Madura Island and the

Kangean Islands The Kangean Islands or simply Kangean (Indonesian language, Indonesian: ''Kepulauan Kangean'') is a collective name referred to the area of Kangean Island, Kangean (the main island) and its surrounding islands lie in the north of Bali Isla ...

off the north coast of Java. The soil is mostly volcanic and alluvial deposits due to the large, active volcanoes in the center, and with some uplifted coral limestone.

Climate

The climate of the ecoregion is ''

Tropical monsoon climate An area of tropical monsoon climate (occasionally known as a sub-equatorial, tropical wet climate or a tropical monsoon and trade-wind littoral climate) is a tropical climate sub-type that corresponds to the Köppen climate classification category ...

'' (

Köppen climate classification The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by German-Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940) in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen, notabl ...

(Am)). This climate is characterized by relatively even temperatures throughout the year (all months being greater than average temperature), and a pronounced dry season. The driest month has less than 60 mm of precipitation, but more than (100-(average/25)) mm. This climate is mid-way between a tropical rainforest and a tropical savannah. The dry month usually at or right after the winter solstice in the Southern Hemisphere.

Flora and fauna

About 25% of the region is closed forest, 25% open forest, 35% cultivated/agricultural, and the rest urban or built up. Precipitation levels determine much of the forest character. Through the inland lowlands, the forests are moist deciduous, with 1,500–4,000 mm of precipitation per year and with a four-six months of dry season. Because precipitation levels decline towards the east of Java, these forests are not as wet as in the west. Typical trees in these moist deciduous forests include ''( Homalium tomentosum)'', Silk trees ''( Albizia lebbekoides)'', and Reonja ''( Acacia leucophloea)'', a 20–30 foot tree with yellow flowers. Along the southern coast of the ecoregion are semi-evergreen rain forests, with higher precipitation levels and only two-four months of dry season. Common south coast trees include ''(

Artocarpus elasticus ''Artocarpus elasticus'' of the Mulberry Family (Moraceae) and commonly called terap nasi or terap, is a rainforest tree of maritime and mainland Southeast Asia, growing up to (occasionally as much as 214 feet (65 meters)) in height with a dia ...

)'' (of the mulberry family), Yellow mahogany ''(

Dysoxylum caulostachyum ''Dysoxylum parasiticum'', known as yellow mahogany, is a species of rainforest trees in the family Meliaceae. The specific epithet ' is from the Latin meaning "parasitic", referring to the idea (now known to be incorrect) that the flowers are pa ...

)'' and Duku ''( Lansium parasiticum)''. Along the northern coast precipitation levels are dryer (below 1,500 mm/year and with more than six months of dry season), resulting in a dry deciduous forest. Scientists in the ecoregion have recorded 103 species of mammals, notable 15 species of ecologically important fruit bats that provide pollination. Over 350 species of birds have been recorded.

Protected areas

Less than 3% of this ecoregion is officially protected. Notable protected areas include: *

West Bali National Park West Bali National Park (Indonesian: ''Taman Nasional Bali Barat'') is a national park located in Buleleng Regency, Bali, Indonesia. The park covers around , of which are land and the remainder is sea. This is approximately 3% of Bali's total l ...

* Meru Betiri National Park *

Alas Purwo National Park Alas Purwo National Park is situated on Blambangan Peninsula in the Banyuwangi Regency, at the southeastern tip of East Java province. The park is famous for its wild Banteng and surfing location at Grajagan Bay. The park's name means ''first ...

* Baluran National Park *

Karimunjawa National Park Karimunjawa National Park, also Crimon Java National Park, is a national marine park designated in the Karimun Java archipelago, Jepara Regency, Central Java, Indonesia. It lies 80 km north west of Jepara, Central Java in the Java Sea. Th ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Eastern Java-Bali rain forests Indomalayan ecoregions Ecoregions of Indonesia Tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests Ecoregions of Malesia

Location and description

Climate

Flora and fauna

Protected areas

See also

References