Tropical Forests of Xishuangbanna, China¹

Abstract

ABSTRACT Lowland tropical forests once covered a large fraction of tropical southern China, but currently have an extent of ca 633,800 ha, mostly in Xishuangbanna of southern Yunnan. The Xishuangbanna region has a typical monsoon climate with a mean annual temperature ranging between 15.1°C and 21.7°C, and precipitation between 1200 and 2500 mm. There is a pronounced dry season between November and April with frequent occurrence of heavy fog. Rainfall during the wet season between May and October accounts for over 80 percent of total annual precipitation. Water deposition from fog accounts for over one‐third of total water input during the dry season in the forests, suggesting an important role that fog may play in pushing up the northern limit of tropical rain forest in Southeast Asia.