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The Panamanian dry 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: NT0224) covers low-lying dry forests around the coast of the Gulf of Panama
The Gulf of Panama ( es, Golfo de Panamá) is a gulf of the Pacific Ocean off the southern coast of Panama, where most of eastern Panama's southern shores adjoin it. The Gulf has a maximum width of , a maximum depth of and the size of . The Pana ...
on the Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of Earth's five oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Southern Ocean (or, depending on definition, to Antarctica) in the south, and is bounded by the continen ...
side of Panama
Panama ( , ; es, link=no, Panamá ), officially the Republic of Panama ( es, República de Panamá), is a transcontinental country spanning the southern part of North America and the northern part of South America. It is bordered by Cos ...
. It is one of the most heavily degraded ecoregions in Central America, having been heavily converted to agriculture. However, it is also important for its high biodiversity, high rates of endemic species, and its importance as a biological corridor between the moist forests inland and the mangroves on the coast.
Location and description
The Gulf of Panama has minor gulfs around its rim. The largest sector of this ecoregion is around theGulf of Parita
Gulf of Parita or Parita Bay (, ''Bahía Parita'') is a large gulf off the coast of Herrera Province, in Panama.
It forms the western section of the Gulf of Panama, and is located between Puerto Obaldia, Coclé and the mouth of the Rio Grande.
...
on the west. There are smaller sectors in the north on Panama Bay
The Panama Bay ( es, Bahia de Panamá) is a large body of water off the coast of southern Panama, at . It is a part of the greater Gulf of Panama.
Pollution Problems
The Panama Bay is considered to be in an eutrophic state by the World Resources ...
(around Panama City
Panama City ( es, Ciudad de Panamá, links=no; ), also known as Panama (or Panamá in Spanish), is the capital and largest city of Panama. It has an urban population of 880,691, with over 1.5 million in its metropolitan area. The city is locat ...
), and the Bay of San Miguel
The Bay of San Miguel () is a bay of the Gulf of Panama, located on the Pacific coast of Darién Province in eastern Panama.
The bay is located at .
It is fed by the Tuira River. At its southern end is Cape Garachiné
A cape is a clothing ...
on the east. Most of the region is lowlands, with an average elevation of . The western sector is surrounded on the interior side by the Isthmian-Pacific moist forests ecoregion, the eastern sectors by the Isthmian-Atlantic moist forests ecoregion. There is a thin strip of mangroves on the coast side of portions of the ecoregion.
Climate
The climate of the ecoregino is '' Tropical savanna climate - dry winter'' (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 ...
(Aw)). This climate is characterized by relatively even temperatures throughout the year, and a pronounced dry season. The driest month has less than 60 mm of precipitation, and is drier than the average month. Because the ecoregion is in the rain shadow of the central mountains, precipitation is lower than in the surrounding moist forests, averaging 1,500 mm/year.
Flora and fauna
Very little forest remains. Over 70% of the ecoregion has been converted to agriculture. 15% is open forest, and 5% is broadleaf evergreen closed forest. A little over 1% of the territory is herbaceous wetland, but grades into mangroves where salt-water influences dominate 1-3 km from the shore. Species diversity is high due to the variety of ecozones meeting in close proximity. 518 species are vertebrate are known in the ecoregion.
Protected areas
Less than 2% of the ecoregion is officially protected. These protected areas include: *Sarigua National Park Sarigua National Park (''Parque Nacional Sarigua'') is a national park situated on the Azuero Peninsula in the Herrera Province of Panama, approximately from Panama City
Panama City ( es, Ciudad de Panamá, links=no; ), also known as Panama ( ...
* Metropolitan Natural Park
Metropolitan Natural Park (Parque Natural Metropolitano) is a park in Panama City, Panama
Panama ( , ; es, link=no, Panamá ), officially the Republic of Panama ( es, República de Panamá), is a transcontinental country spanning the s ...
References
{{reflist Neotropical tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests Ecoregions of Panama