<?xml version="1.0" ?>
<EFGs>
   <EFG code="T1.3" update="2020-01-20" version="v2.0">
      <Realms>
         <Realm>Terrestrial</Realm>
      </Realms>
      <Biome>T1. Tropical-subtropical forests biome</Biome>
      <Name>T1.3 Tropical/Subtropical montane rainforests</Name>
      <Short-name>T1.3 Trop montane rainforests</Short-name>
      <Contributors>
         <contributor>DA Keith</contributor>
         <contributor>NA Brummitt</contributor>
         <contributor>KR Young</contributor>
         <contributor>RT Corlett</contributor>
         <contributor>A Etter</contributor>
         <map-contributor>JR Ferrer-Paris</map-contributor>
         <map-contributor>DA Keith</map-contributor>
      </Contributors>
      <Short-description>These mountain rainforests are characterised by a single-layered tree canopy, with epiphytic ferns, bryophytes, lichens, orchids, and bromeliads draping tree branches. Grasses are rare or absent. At high altitude forest structure becomes less complex, with dwarf tree forms. Although rainfall is abundant (up to 6000 mm per year), productivity is limited by cool temperatures, wind exposure and shallow soils, although under the canopy a moist shady microclimate provides stable habitat for a frog, bird, plant and invertebrate species that are found nowhere else.</Short-description>
      <Ecological-traits updated="2020-06-15 11:32:28">Closed-canopy evergreen forests on tropical mountains usually have a single-layer low tree canopy (~5–20m tall) with small leaf sizes (microphyll-notophyll) and high SLA. They transition to lowland rainforests (T1.1) with decreasing altitude and to warm temperate forests (T2.4) at subtropical latitudes. Structure and taxonomic diversity become more diminutive and simpler with altitude, culminating in elfinwood forms. Conspicuous epiphytic ferns, bryophytes, lichens, orchids, and bromeliads drape tree branches and exploit atmospheric moisture (cloud stripping), but grasses are rare or absent, except for bamboos in some areas. Moderate productivity is fuelled by autochthonous energy, limited by cool temperatures, possibly by high exposure to UV-B radiation, and sometimes by shallow soil and/or wind exposure. Growth and reproductive phenology is usually seasonal. Plant propagules are dispersed mostly by wind and territorial birds and mammals. Taxonomic diversity is moderate to low, especially in the tree canopy, but there is often high local endemism at higher altitudes in most groups, especially amphibians, birds, plants, and invertebrates. Gap-phase dynamics are driven by individual tree-fall or lightning strikes, more rarely by extreme wind storms in some areas. Seedling banks are common (seedbanks are uncommon) and most plants are shade tolerant and can recruit in the shade.</Ecological-traits>
      <Key-ecological-drivers updated="2020-06-15 11:32:28">Substantial cloud moisture and high humidity underpin a reliable year-round rainfall surplus over evapotranspiration. Altitudinal gradients in temperature, precipitation, and exposure are pivotal in ecosystem structure and function. Frequent cloud cover from orographic uplift and closed tree canopies maintain a moist microclimate and shady conditions. Temperatures are mild-cool with occasional frost. Seasonal variability is low-moderate but diurnal variability is moderate-high. Winter monthly mean minima may be around 0°C in some areas. Landslides are a significant form of disturbance that drives successional dynamics on steep slopes and is exacerbated by extreme rainfall events. Mountains experience elevated UV-B radiation with altitude and, in some regions, are exposed to local or regional storms.</Key-ecological-drivers>
      <Distribution updated="2020-06-15 11:32:28">Humid tropical and subtropical regions in East Africa, East Madagascar, Southeast Asia, west Oceania, northeast Australia, Central and tropical South America.</Distribution>
      <Map code="T1.3.web.alt" version="v2.1">The distribution of tropical montane rainforest was approximated from a model of environmental suitability based on climatic variables and cloud cover (Wilson and Jetz 2016). Occurrences were aggregated to half degree spatial resolution and cells reclassified as major occurrences (&gt;25% of cell area) and minor occurrences (&lt; 25% of cell area).</Map>
      <References>
         <Reference name="Ashton and Seidler 2014">Ashton PS, Seidler R (2014) None On the forests of tropical Asia: lest the memory fade Kew Publishing: Kew DOI:None</Reference>
         <Reference name="Gradstein SR, Homeier J, Gansert D  2008">Gradstein SR, Homeier J, Gansert D  (2008) The tropical mountain forest – patterns and processes in a biodiversity hotspot The tropical mountain forest – patterns and processes in a biodiversity hotspot Biodiversity and Ecology Series 2. Göttingen, Centre for Biodiversity and Ecology DOI:10.17875/gup2008-702</Reference>
         <Reference name="Hamilton et al.  1995">Hamilton LS, Juvik JO, Scatena FN  (1995) Tropical Montane Cloud Forests Ecological Studies 110. Springer-Verlag, Berlin DOI:None</Reference>
         <Reference name="Wilson and Jetz 2016">Wilson AM, Jetz W  (2016) Remotely Sensed High-Resolution Global Cloud Dynamics for Predicting Ecosystem and Biodiversity Distributions PLoS Biol 14(3): e1002415. [Dataset available on-line](http://www.earthenv.org/) DOI:10.1371/journal.pbio.1002415</Reference>
      </References>
   </EFG>
</EFGs>
