This ecoregion occupies the slopes of the deep Zangbo Gorge at elevations of 2,500 – 4,200 m.? It has extensive forest cover on steep landscape with intense monsoon, but low human use. Blue pine, hemlock, spruce, and fir dominate with increasing elevation in the subalpine conifer forest belt, associated with a lower tier of deciduous broadleaf trees in places. Juniper grow as trees to about 4,000 m. Himalayan birch is the most abundant, but maple, mountain ash, and other northern temperate taxa also occur. Many of the 60-odd rhododendron species from this region are associated with the subalpine forest, growing as shrubs or trees.? A rich assemblage of lichens and epiphytic mosses occur in the forest canopy.
Northeast Himalayan subalpine conifer forests
Source: Modified from One Earth CC BY-NC