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113-550: Laurel and laurophyll forests have a patchy distribution in warm temperate regions , often occupying topographic refugia where the moisture from the ocean condenses so that it falls as rain or fog and soils have high moisture levels. They have a mild climate , seldom exposed to fires or frosts and are found in relatively acidic soils. Primary productivity is high, but can be limited by mild summer drought. The canopies are evergreen, dominated by species with glossy- or leathery-leaves, and with moderate tree diversity. Insects are

226-507: A dense evergreen understory (Box and Fujiwara 1988). The lower shrub layer of the evergreen forests is often mixed with other evergreen species from the palm family ( Rhapidophyllum hystrix ), bush palmetto ( Sabal minor ), and saw palmetto ( Serenoa repens ), and several species in the Ilex family, including Ilex glabra , Dahoon holly , and Yaupon holly . In many areas, Cyrilla racemiflora , Lyonia fruticosa , wax myrtle Myrica

339-424: A distinct four-season pattern, especially in the continental climate sector. Oceanic climates are created by the on-shore flow from the cool high latitude oceans to their west. This causes the climate to have mild summers and cool (but not cold) winters, and relative humidity and precipitation evenly distributed throughout the year. These climates are frequently cloudy and cool, and winters are milder than those in

452-809: A few highland areas of Tasmania , the Australian Alps and Southern Alps of New Zealand . This type of climate is even found in tropical areas such as the Papuan Highlands in Indonesia. Cfc is the categorization for this regime. Even in the middle of summer, temperatures exceeding 20°C (68 °F) are exceptional weather events in the most maritime of those locations impacted by this regime. In some parts of this climate, temperatures as high as 30°C (86°F) have been recorded on rare occasions, while temperatures as low as −15 °C (5 °F) have still been recorded on rare occasions. A cold variant of

565-624: A few pockets remain. Laurel forests occupy the humid tropical highlands of the Malay Peninsula , Greater Sunda Islands , and Philippines above 1,000 m (3,300 ft) elevation. The flora of these forests is similar to that of the warm-temperate and subtropical laurel forests of East Asia, including oaks ( Quercus ) , tanoak ( Lithocarpus ) , chinquapin ( Castanopsis ) , Lauraceae, Theaceae , and Clethraceae . Epiphytes , including orchids, ferns, moss, lichen, and liverworts, are more abundant than in either temperate laurel forests or

678-463: A few species. Species diversity generally increases towards the tropics. In this sense, the laurel forest is a transitional type between temperate forests and tropical rainforests. Laurel forests are composed of vascular plants that evolved millions of years ago. Lauroid floras have included forests of Podocarpaceae and southern beech . This type of vegetation characterized parts of the ancient supercontinent of Gondwana and once covered much of

791-421: A huge impact on the productivity of agriculture which is less common. Temperate regions have the majority of the world's population, which leads to large cities . There are a couple of factors why the climate of large city landscapes differs from the climate of rural areas. One factor is the strength of the absorption rate of buildings and asphalt, which is higher than that of natural land. The other large factor

904-434: A humid subtropical climate (most notably southeast China and North India ), there is an even sharper wet-dry season, called a monsoon subtropical climate or subtropical monsoon (Cwa). In these regions, winters are quite chilly and dry and summers have very heavy rainfall. Some Cwa areas in southern China report more than 80% of annual precipitation in the five warmest months (southwest monsoon). Mediterranean climates have

1017-534: A landmass is) and altitude also shape temperate climates. The Köppen climate classification defines a climate as "temperate" C , when the mean temperature is above −3 °C (26.6 °F) but below 18 °C (64.4 °F) in the coldest month to account for the persistence of frost. However, some adaptations of Köppen set the minimum at 0 °C (32.0 °F). Continental climates are classified as D and considered to be varieties of temperate climates, having more extreme temperatures, with mean temperatures in

1130-498: A mix of evergreen scrub typical of Mediterranean climates . Species of Notholithocarpus , Arbutus menziesii , and Umbellularia californica can be canopy species in several areas. The laurel forest is the most common Central American temperate evergreen cloud forest type. They are found in mountainous areas of southern Mexico and almost all Central American countries, normally more than 1,000 m (3,300 ft) above sea level. Tree species include evergreen oaks, members of

1243-582: A part of Brazil across the border. The rocks contain significant quantities of iron which forms a part of the soil, giving it a reddish color. At the center of the plateau rises the Sierra de Misiones, its highest peak, 843 m, near Bernardo de Irigoyen, in the Cerro Rincón. The province is embraced by three big rivers including the Paraná , Uruguay and Iguazú . Iguazu Falls are spectacular waterfalls on

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1356-596: A point in the Paraná River shared by Paraguay and Corrientes Province. When the dam became fully operative in the 1990s, the Paraná's waters all along the Misiones shores rose. They flooded lands that the dam's authorities had failed to clear and condition adequately, resulting in the onset of mosquito-transmitted illnesses, such as leishmaniasis , yellow fever , dengue , and malaria . The entire Misiones shores along

1469-462: A small number of Arabs , Japanese and, recently, Laotians (in the late 1970s) and Chinese (in the 2000s). From the 1960s, the province has also received immigrants from Brazil (mostly descendants of East Europeans) and Paraguay (mostly descendants both of indigenous peoples and Spaniards). The literacy rate is 91.4%. Misiones' economy , like most in northern Argentina, is relatively underdeveloped yet fairly well-diversified. Its 2006 output

1582-469: A summer accent on rainfall. Regions with humid continental climates include southeastern Canada, the upper portions of the eastern United States , portions of eastern Europe , parts of China , Japan and the Korean Peninsula . These are temperate climates that compared to the subtropics are on the poleward edge of the temperate zone. Therefore, they still have four marked seasons including

1695-435: A temperate region is found in southern Africa , where some 24,000 taxa (species and infraspecific taxa) have been described. Farming is a large-scale practice in the temperate regions (except for boreal/subarctic regions) due to the plentiful rainfall and warm summers, because most agricultural activity occurs in the spring and summer, cold winters have a small effect on agricultural production. Extreme winters or summers have

1808-646: A warmer one, but are far more influenced by the polar zones than any other but the very polar climates ( tundra and ice cap climate ). Areas with subpolar oceanic climates feature an oceanic climate but are usually located closer to polar regions. As a result of their location, these regions tend to be on the cool end of oceanic climates. Snowfall tends to be more common here than in other oceanic climates. Subpolar oceanic climates are less prone to temperature extremes than subarctic climates or continental climates , featuring milder winters than these climates but still with similar summers. This variant of an oceanic climate

1921-696: Is a key to dating climatic history. Laurel forests are common in subtropical eastern Asia, and form the climax vegetation in far southern Japan, Taiwan , southern China, the mountains of Indochina , and the eastern Himalayas . In southern China, laurel forest once extended throughout the Yangtze Valley and Sichuan Basin from the East China Sea to the Tibetan Plateau . The northernmost laurel forests in East Asia occur at 39° N. on

2034-471: Is also applied to climbing plants such as ivies , whose waxy leaves somewhat resemble those of the Lauraceae. Mature laurel forests typically have a dense tree canopy and low light levels at the forest floor. Some forests are characterized by an overstory of emergent trees. Laurel forests are typically multi-species, and diverse in both the number of species and the genera and families represented. In

2147-469: Is classified as Cfa . There are four distinct seasons although winters and autumns are fairly short. The mean annual temperature is around 21 °C (70 °F). June–August typically register the coldest days when temperatures can fall below 10 °C (50 °F). However, rare incursions of polar air into the province from the south can lead to frost. Summers are hot with temperatures exceeding 32 °C (90 °F) from December to February. One of

2260-517: Is due (in part) to the sandy soils and often periodic semi-arid nature of the climate. As one moves south into central Florida, as well as far southern Texas and the Gulf Coastal margin of the southern United States, the sclerophyll character slowly declines and more tree species from the tropics (specifically, the Caribbean and Mesoamerica ) increase as the temperate species decline. As such,

2373-626: Is found in parts of coastal Iceland , the Faroe Islands , parts of Scotland , northwestern coastal areas of Norway such as Lofoten and reaching to 70° north on some islands, uplands near the coast of southwestern Norway, the Aleutian Islands of Alaska and northern parts of the Alaskan Panhandle , some parts of Southern Argentina and Chile (though most regions are still classified as continental subantarctic), and

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2486-963: Is habitat for many other important tree and large shrub species such as pindrow fir ( Abies pindrow ), East Himalayan fir ( Abies spectabilis ), Acer campbellii, Acer pectinatum, Himalayan birch ( Betula utilis ), Betula alnoides , boxwood ( Buxus rugulosa ), Himalayan flowering dogwood ( Cornus capitata ), hazel ( Corylus ferox ), Deutzia staminea, spindle ( Euonymus tingens ), Siberian ginseng ( Acanthopanax cissifolius ), Coriaria terminalis ash ( Fraxinus macrantha ), Dodecadenia grandiflora , Eurya cerasifolia , Hydrangea heteromala , Ilex dipyrena , privet ( Ligustrum spp.), Litsea elongata , common walnut ( Juglans regia ), Lichelia doltsopa , Myrsine capitallata , Neolitsea umbrosa , mock-orange ( Philadelphus tomentosus ), sweet olive ( Osmanthus fragrans ), Himalayan bird cherry ( Prunus cornuta ), and Viburnum continifolium . In ancient times, laurel forests ( shoyojurin ) were

2599-629: Is high. The vegetation is the so-called " Selva Misionera  [ es ] ". Part of it has been transformed by mankind to implant cultures and ranching. The original biome is protected in Iguazú National Park , part of the Alto Paraná Atlantic forests , in turn part of the Atlantic Forest biome . Ethno-racial groups in Misiones (2022 census) There are 1,280,960 people living in Misiones according to

2712-578: Is present as an evergreen understory. Several species of Yucca and Opuntia are native as well to the drier sandy coastal scrub environment of the region, including Yucca aloifolia , Yucca filamentosa , Yucca gloriosa , and Opuntia stricta . During the Miocene , oak-laurel forests were found in Central and Southern California . Typical tree species included oaks ancestral to present-day California oaks, as well as an assemblage of trees from

2825-467: Is the burning of fossil fuels from buildings and vehicles. These factors have led to the average climate of cities to be warmer than surrounding areas . Misiones Misiones ( Spanish pronunciation: [miˈsjones] , Missions ) is one of the 23 provinces of Argentina , located in the northeastern corner of the country in the Mesopotamia region. It is surrounded by Paraguay to

2938-1121: Is usually strong and vigorous and the forest regenerates easily; its decline is due to external forces. In the Himalayas, in Nepal, subtropical forest consists of species such as Schima wallichii , Castanopsis indica , and Castanopsis tribuloides in relatively humid areas. Some common forest types in this region include Castanopsis tribuloides mixed with Schima wallichi , Rhododendron spp., Lyonia ovalifolia , Eurya acuminata , and Quercus glauca ; Castanopsis -Laurales forest with Symplocas spp.; Alnus nepalensis forests; Schima wallichii - Castanopsis indica hygrophile forest; Schima-Pinus forest; Pinus roxburghii forests with Phyllanthus emblica . Semicarpus anacardium , Rhododendron arboreum and Lyoma ovalifolia ; Schima - Lagerstroemia parviflora forest, Quercus lamellosa forest with Quercus lanata and Quercus glauca ; Castanopsis forests with Castanopsis hystrix and Lauraceae. Laurel forests are also prevalent in

3051-703: The African Great Lakes to South Africa , in the Highlands of Madagascar , and in the montane zone of the São Tomé, Príncipe, and Annobón forests . These scattered highland laurophyll forests of Africa are similar to one another in species composition (known as the Afromontane flora), and distinct from the flora of the surrounding lowlands. The main species of the Afromontane forests include

3164-983: The Aru Islands of eastern Indonesia, is linked to Australia by a shallow continental shelf, and shares many marsupial mammal and bird taxa with Australia. New Guinea also has many additional elements of the Antarctic flora, including southern beech ( Nothofagus ) and Eucalypts . New Guinea has the highest mountains in Malesia , and vegetation ranges from tropical lowland forest to tundra . The highlands of New Guinea and New Britain are home to montane laurel forests, from about 1,000 to 2,500 m (3,300–8,200 ft) elevation. These forests include species typical of both Northern Hemisphere laurel forests, including Lithocarpus , Ilex , and Lauraceae, and Southern Hemisphere laurel forests, including Southern Beech Nothofagus , Araucaria , Podocarps , and trees of

3277-574: The Caribbean , and South America as far south as Chile . In the Corynocarpus family, Corynocarpus laevigatus is sometimes called laurel of New Zealand, while Laurelia novae-zelandiae belongs to the same genus as Laurelia sempervirens . The tree niaouli grows in Australia, New Caledonia, and Papua. The New Guinea and Northern Australian ecoregions are also closely related. The eastern end of Malesia , including New Guinea and

3390-451: The Köppen climate classification . In contrast to oceanic climates, they are created by large land masses and seasonal changes in wind direction. This causes humid continental climates to have severe temperatures for the season compared to other temperate climates, meaning a hot summer and cold winter. Precipitation may be evenly distributed throughout the year, while in some locations there is

3503-1153: The Laurel family are less prominent, limited to Ocotea or Beilschmiedia due to exceptional biological and paleoecological interest and the enormous biodiversity mostly but with many endemic species, and the members of the beech family (Fagaceae) are absent. Trees can be up to 30 or 40 m (98 or 131 ft) tall and distinct strata of emergent trees, canopy trees, and shrub and herb layers are present. Tree species include: Real Yellowwood ( Podocarpus latifolius ), Outeniqua Yellowwood ( Podocarpus falcatus ), White Witchhazel ( Trichocladus ellipticus ), Rhus chirendensis , Curtisia dentata , Calodendrum capense , Apodytes dimidiata , Halleria lucida , Ilex mitis , Kiggelaria africana , Nuxia floribunda , Xymalos monospora , and Ocotea bullata . Shrubs and climbers are common and include: Common Spikethorn ( Maytenus heterophylla ), Cat-thorn ( Scutia myrtina ), Numnum ( Carissa bispinosa ), Secamone alpinii , Canthium ciliatum , Rhoicissus tridentata , Zanthoxylum capense , and Burchellia bubalina . In

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3616-593: The Macaronesian islands, southern Japan , Madagascar , New Caledonia , Tasmania , and central Chile , but they are pantropical, and for example in Africa they are endemic to the Congo region , Cameroon , Sudan , Tanzania , and Uganda , in lowland forest and Afromontane areas. Since laurel forests are archaic populations that diversified as a result of isolation on islands and tropical mountains, their presence

3729-587: The Society of Jesus came to the region as missionaries, initially led by Diego de Torres Bello (1551-1638). From 1609 onwards the Jesuits established a string of Jesuit Reductions , most notably that of San Ignacio (founded in 1610). In a few years they set up 30 mission villages. They taught the Guarani western-style agriculture and crafts. Their crafts were sold and traded along the river and they shared in

3842-444: The polar regions of Earth . These zones generally have wider temperature ranges throughout the year and more distinct seasonal changes compared to tropical climates , where such variations are often small; they usually differ only in the amount of precipitation . In temperate climates, not only do latitudinal positions influence temperature changes, but various sea currents, prevailing wind direction, continentality (how large

3955-501: The tropics . Some lauroid species that are found outside laurel forests are relicts of vegetation that covered much of the mainland of Australia , Europe, South America, Antarctica, Africa, and North America when their climate was warmer and more humid. Cloud forests are believed to have retreated and advanced during successive geological eras, and their species adapted to warm and wet conditions were replaced by more cold-tolerant or drought-tolerant sclerophyll plant communities. Many of

4068-510: The Argentine state. As of 2016 control of the province is not contested. On December 10, 1953, the "National Territory of Misiones" gained provincial status in accordance with Law 14.294, and its constitution was approved on April 21, 1958. Misiones received more attention from national policy-makers following a 1973 international agreement to construct the Yacyretá hydroelectric dam on

4181-645: The Atlantic islands (e.g. Ocotea ), or in other continents (e.g. Magnolia , Liquidambar ) and some adapted to the cooler and drier climate of Europe and persisted as relicts in places with high mean annual precipitation or in particular river basins, such as sweet bay ( Laurus nobilis ) and European holly ( Ilex aquifolium ) , which are fairly widespread around the Mediterranean basin. Descendants of these species can be found today in Europe, throughout

4294-577: The Atlantic laurisilva is more abundant in the Macaronesian archipelagos, where the weather has fluctuated little since the Tertiary , there are small representations and some species contribution to the oceanic and Mediterranean ecoregions of Europe, Asia minor and west and north of Africa, where microclimates in the coastal mountain ranges form inland "islands" favorable to the persistence of laurel forests. In some cases these were genuine islands in

4407-587: The Brazilian Highlands in southern Brazil and adjacent parts of Argentina and Paraguay, are semi-deciduous. The Valdivian temperate rain forests, or Laurisilva Valdiviana , occupy southern Chile and Argentina from the Pacific Ocean to the Andes between 38° and 45° latitude. Rainfall is abundant, from 1,500 to 5,000 mm (59–197 in) according to locality, distributed throughout

4520-513: The Cwb classification have significant monsoon influence, usually having dry winters and wet summers. These climates occur in the middle latitudes, between approximately 35° and 66.5° north and south of the equator. There is an equal climatic influence from both the polar and tropical zones in this climate region. Two types of climates are in this zone, a milder oceanic one and more severe seasonal continental one. Most prototypical temperate climates have

4633-552: The Iguazú River in the northwest corner of the province, near the city of Puerto Iguazú . Misiones shares the falls with the Brazilian state of Paraná (in that nation's Southern Region). Meanwhile, the international border with Paraguay is close by. The province has a humid subtropical climate characterized by a lack of a dry season and abundant rainfall throughout the year. Under the Köppen climate classification , it

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4746-999: The Immigration and Colonization Law. One of them, Adolf Schwelm's Eldorado Colonización y Explotación de Bosques Ltda. S.A. , founded the city of Eldorado in 1919 with a port on the Upper Paraná. Its agricultural colonies and experimental farms, the orange- and grapefruit-tree plantations, and the cultivation of yerba mate, the mills and the dryers for such product are characteristic of this area. Swedish-Argentines became well known for growing yerba mate . Misiones received many immigrants, mostly from Europe, coming mainly via Southern Brazil. Some came from Buenos Aires, and from Eastern Europe, in particular large numbers of Poles and Ukrainians . Since then , Misiones has continued to benefit economically and has developed politically within Argentina. It has been successfully integrated into

4859-577: The Laurel family, and species of Weinmannia , Drimys , and Magnolia . The cloud forest of Sierra de las Minas , Guatemala , is the largest in Central America. In some areas of southeastern Honduras there are cloud forests, the largest located near the border with Nicaragua . In Nicaragua the cloud forests are found in the border zone with Honduras, and most were cleared to grow coffee . There are still some temperate evergreen hills in

4972-547: The Laurel family, including Nectandra , Ocotea , Persea , and Umbellularia . Only one native species from the Laurel family (Lauraceae), Umbellularia californica , remains in California today. There are however, several areas in Mediterranean California, as well as isolated areas of southern Oregon that have evergreen forests. Several species of evergreen Quercus forests occur, as well as

5085-650: The Mediterranean and North Africa . Isolation gave rise to Laurus azorica in the Azores Islands, Laurus nobilis on the mainland, and Laurus novocanariensis in the Madeira and the Canary Islands. Laurel forests occur in small areas where their particular climatic requirements prevail, in both the northern and southern hemispheres. Inner laurel forest ecoregions, a related and distinct community of vascular plants , evolved millions of years ago on

5198-486: The Mediterranean, especially in the Iberian Peninsula and the southern Black Sea Basin . The most important is ivy , a climber or vine that is well represented in most of Europe, where it spread again after the glaciations. The portuguese laurel cherry ( Prunus lusitanica ) is the only tree that survives as a relict in some Iberian riversides, especially in the western part of the peninsula. In other cases,

5311-586: The Myrtle family ( Myrtaceae ). New Guinea and Northern Australia are closely related. Around 40 million years ago, the Indo-Australian tectonic plate began to split apart from the ancient supercontinent Gondwana. As it collided with the Pacific Plate on its northward journey, the high mountain ranges of central New Guinea emerged around 5 million years ago. In the lee of this collision zone,

5424-593: The Pacific coast of Japan. Altitudinally, the forests range from sea-level up to 1000 metres in warm-temperate Japan, and up to 3000 metres elevation in the subtropical mountains of Asia. Some forests are dominated by Lauraceae , while in others evergreen laurophyll trees of the beech family ( Fagaceae ) are predominant, including ring-cupped oaks ( Quercus subgenus Cyclobalanopsis ), chinquapin ( Castanopsis ) and tanoak ( Lithocarpus ). Other characteristic plants include Schima and Camellia , which are members of

5537-548: The Pacific. Although some remnants of archaic flora, including species and genera extinct in the rest of the world, have persisted as endemic to such coastal mountain and shelter sites, their biodiversity was reduced. Isolation in these fragmented habitats, particularly on islands, has led to the development of vicariant species and genera. Thus, fossils dating from before the Pleistocene glaciations show that species of Laurus were formerly distributed more widely around

5650-558: The Paraná River is now confined by two dams, one of them Yaciretá, downstream of the river, and the other Itaipú , located in Brazil and Paraguay, upstream of the river and north of Puerto Iguazú . As of 2016 Argentina was pursuing an agreement with Paraguay to expand the reservoir works in order to double the facility's electricity production . Misiones is the second-smallest province after Tucumán . The Misiones plateau includes

5763-632: The Reductions' prosperity. In 1759 the Portuguese government, at the insistence of its anti-Jesuit Secretary of State , the Marquis de Pombal , ordered all Reductions closed in its territory (which then included much of present-day Misiones Province). The Marquis eventually prevailed in 1773 on Pope Clement XIV to have the Jesuit Order suppressed . With the abandoning of the missions,

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5876-773: The Serra de Monchique, Sintra , and the coastal mountains from Cadiz to Algeciras . In the Mediterranean region, remnant laurel forest is present on some islands of the Aegean Sea , on the Black Sea coast of Georgia and Turkey , and the Caspian Sea coast of Azerbaijan and Iran , including the Castanopsis and true laurus forests, associated with Prunus laurocerasus , and conifers such as Taxus baccata , Cedrus atlantica , and Abies pinsapo . In Europe

5989-884: The Sub-Andean Sierras. The forest relief is varied and in places where the Andes meet the Amazon, it includes steeply sloped areas. Characteristic of this region are deep ravines formed by the rivers, such as that of the Tarma River descending to the San Ramon Valley, or the Urubamba River as it passes through Machu Picchu . Many of the Yungas are degraded or are forests in recovery that have not yet reached their climax vegetation . The laurel forests of

6102-628: The Tertiary, and in some cases simply areas that remained ice-free. When the Strait of Gibraltar reclosed, the species repopulated toward the Iberian Peninsula to the north and were distributed along with other African species, but the seasonally drier and colder climate, prevented them reaching their previous extent. In Atlantic Europe, subtropical vegetation is interspersed with taxa from Europe and North Africa in bioclimatic enclaves such as

6215-643: The Valdivian laurel forests, Beilschmiedia tawa is often the dominant canopy species of the laural genus Beilschmiedia in lowland laurel forests in the North Island and the northeast of the South Island , but will also often form the subcanopy in primary forests throughout the country in these areas, with podocarps . Genus Beilschmiedia are trees and shrubs widespread in tropical Asia , Africa , Australia , New Zealand , Central America ,

6328-424: The absence of strong environmental selective pressure, the number of species sharing the arboreal stratum is high, although not reaching the diversity of tropical forests; nearly 100 tree species have been described in the laurisilva rainforest of Misiones ( Argentina ), about 20 in the Canary Islands. This species diversity contrasts with other temperate forest types, which typically have a canopy dominated by one or

6441-492: The adjacent lowland tropical rain forests. Myrtaceae are common at lower elevations, and conifers and rhododendrons at higher elevations. These forests are distinct in species composition from the lowland tropical forests, which are dominated by Dipterocarps and other tropical species. Laurel forests are found in the islands of Macaronesia in the eastern Atlantic, in particular the Azores , Madeira Islands , and Canary Islands from 400 to 1200 metres elevation. Trees of

6554-606: The ample production of roundwood without excessive impact on its ecosystem . The principal exploited trees are the Paraná pine , Guatambú, Cedar, Petiribí, Incense, Cane water-pipe, Anchico, Eucalyptus and Gueycá. Misiones' chief source of agricultural income, however, has long been the cultivation of yerba mate : Misiones is Argentina's leading producer (yielding about half a million tons, annually). Tea , citrus fruit and, in minor amounts, tobacco , sugar cane, rice , coffee, cocoa and coconut are also cultivated in Misiones. Light manufacturing and tourism also contribute to

6667-413: The ancient rock formations of what is now Cape York Peninsula remained largely undisturbed. The WWF identifies several distinct montane laurel forest ecoregions on New Guinea, New Britain, and New Ireland. Temperate regions In geography , the temperate climates of Earth occur in the middle latitudes (approximately 23.5° to 66.5° N/S of Equator), which span between the tropics and

6780-400: The annexation of disputed territory in northern Paraguay by Brazil and regions in the east and west of Paraguay by Argentina [...]. After a long and harrowing war (1865–70), Argentina prised from a prostrate Paraguay territory in Misiones between the Paraná and the Uruguay and other land further west." Scobie states that "the political status of Misiones remained vague" and that Argentina gained

6893-426: The area of the future province for thousands of years. At the time of European encounter, the area was occupied by the Kaingang and Xokleng tribes, later followed by the Guarani tribe. The first European to visit the region, Sebastian Cabot , discovered Apipé Falls while navigating the Paraná River in December 1527. In 1541 Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca reached the Iguazú Falls . In the 17th century, members of

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7006-480: The barrier islands, a stunted Quercus geminata or mixed Q. geminata and Quercus virginiana forest dominates, with a dense evergreen understory of scrub palm Serenoa repens and a variety of vines, including Bignonia capreolata , as well as Smilax and Vitis species ' . Gordonia lasianthus , Ilex opaca and Osmanthus americanus also may occur as canopy co-dominant in coastal dune forests, with Cliftonia monophylla and Vaccinium arboreum as

7119-449: The best remaining examples of the Atlantic laurel forest, due to their intact nature. The paleobotanical record of the island of Madeira reveals that laurisilva forests have existed on this island for at least 1.8 million years. Around 50 million years ago, during the Paleocene , Europe took the form of a set of large islands spread through what was the Tethys Sea . The climate was wet and tropical with monsoon summer rains. Trees of

7232-459: The broadleaf canopy trees of genus Beilschmiedia , with Apodytes dimidiata , Ilex mitis , Nuxia congesta , N. floribunda , Kiggelaria africana , Prunus africana , Rapanea melanophloeos , Halleria lucida , Ocotea bullata , and Xymalos monospora , along with the emergent conifers Podocarpus latifolius and Afrocarpus falcatus . Species composition of the Subsaharan laurel forests differs from that of Eurasia. Trees of

7345-469: The coastal plain, a low-lying mosaic topography of white sand, silt, and limestone (mostly in Florida ), separate these laurel forests. Frequent fire is also thought to be responsible for the disjointed geography of laurel forests across the coastal plain of the southeastern United States. Despite being located in a humid climate zone, much of the broadleaf Laurel forests in the Southeast USA are semi- sclerophyll in character. The semi-sclerophyll character

7458-434: The coldest month usually being below −3 °C (26.6 °F). The north temperate zone extends from the Tropic of Cancer (approximately 23.5° north latitude) to the Arctic Circle (approximately 66.5° north latitude). The south temperate zone extends from the Tropic of Capricorn (approximately 23.5° south latitude) to the Antarctic Circle (at approximately 66.5° south latitude). In some climate classifications,

7571-429: The conifer Brazilian Araucaria ( Araucaria angustifolia ) reaching up to 45 m (148 ft) in height. The subtropical Serra do Mar coastal forests along the southern coast of Brazil have a tree canopy of Lauraceae and Myrtaceae, with emergent trees of Leguminaceae, and a rich diversity of bromeliads and trees and shrubs of family Melastomaceae . The inland Alto Paraná Atlantic forests , which occupy portions of

7684-410: The continental climate. Regions with oceanic climates include northwestern Europe , northwestern North America , southeastern and southwestern South America , southeastern Australia and most of New Zealand . Humid continental climates are considered as a variety of temperate climates due to lying in the temperate zones, although they are classified separately from other temperate climates in

7797-449: The defeat of Paraguay and its peace agreement with Argentina (eventually signed in 1876), Paraguay gave up its claim to the Misiones territory. Although Argentina had claimed Misiones since 1814, academics tend to interpret Argentine possession of Misiones as beginning with the defeat of Paraguay in the War of the Triple Alliance. John Lynch writes that "the treaty of alliance [i.e. against Paraguay] contained secret clauses providing for

7910-412: The dense moisture from the sea or ocean is precipitated as warm moist air masses blowing off the ocean are forced upwards by the terrain, which cools the air mass to the dew point . The moisture in the air condenses as rain or fog, creating a habitat characterized by cool, moist conditions in the air and soil. The resulting climate is wet and mild, with the annual oscillation of the temperature moderated by

8023-435: The driest. The exceptions are the north and higher altitude areas where precipitation is well distributed throughout the year. Snowfall has occurred at the higher hills. For example, during the winter of 1975, snowfall was observed and accumulated in Bernando de Irigoyen, one of the coldest towns in the province due to its high altitude 815 m (2,674 ft). Owing to the humid climate and high rainfall, relative humidity

8136-809: The forest edges. According to the recent study by Box and Fujiwara (Evergreen Broadleaved Forests of the Southeastern United States: Preliminary Description), laurel forests occur in patches in the southeastern United States from southeast Virginia southward to Florida , and west to Texas , mostly along the coast and coastal plain of the Gulf and south Atlantic coast. In the southeastern United States, evergreen Hammock (ecology) (i.e. topographically induced forest islands) contain many laurel forests. These laurel forests occur mostly in moist depression and floodplains, and are found in moist environments. In many portions of

8249-561: The genera Apollonias ( Lauraceae ), Ocotea ( Lauraceae ), Persea ( Lauraceae ), Clethra ( Clethraceae ), Dracaena ( Asparagaceae ), Picconia ( Oleaceae ) and Heberdenia ( Primulaceae ) are characteristic. The Garajonay National Park , on the island of La Gomera and the Laurisilva in the Madeira Island were designated World Heritage sites by UNESCO in 1986 and 1999, respectively. They are considered

8362-476: The humid subtropics. Warm ocean currents are usually found in coastal areas with humid subtropical climates. This type of climate is normally located along leeward lower east coasts of continents such as in southeast and central Argentina , Uruguay and south of Brazil , the southeast portions of East Asia , southern and portions of the northeast and midwestern United States and portions of, South Africa , Ethiopia , and eastern Australia . In some areas with

8475-832: The humidity, allowing respiration. The scientific names laurina , laurifolia , laurophylla , lauriformis , and lauroides are often used to name species of other plant families that resemble the Lauraceae. The term Lucidophyll , referring to the shiny surface of the leaves, was proposed in 1969 by Tatuo Kira. The scientific names Daphnidium , Daphniphyllum , Daphnopsis , Daphnandra , Daphne from Greek: Δάφνη, meaning "laurel", laurus , Laureliopsis , laureola , laurelin , laurifolia , laurifolius , lauriformis , laurina , Prunus laurocerasus (cherry laurel), Prunus lusitanica (Portugal laurel), Corynocarpus laevigatus (New Zealand Laurel), and Corynocarpus rupestris designate species of other plant families whose leaves resemble Lauraceae. The term "lauroid"

8588-593: The late Cretaceous – early Tertiary Gondwanan species of flora became extinct, but some survived as relict species in the milder, moister climate of coastal areas and on islands. Thus Tasmania and New Caledonia share related species extinct on the Australian mainland, and the same case occurs on the Macaronesia islands of the Atlantic and on the Taiwan , Hainan , Jeju , Shikoku , Kyūshū , and Ryūkyū Islands of

8701-546: The laurel and Fagaceae family ( oaks with lauroid-shape leaves and Castanopsis ) were common along several species of ferns. Around the Eocene , the planet began cooling, ultimately leading to the Pleistocene glaciations. This progressively deteriorated the Paleotropical flora of Europe, which went extinct in the late Pliocene . Some of these species went globally extinct (e.g. laurophyll Quercus ), others survived in

8814-430: The laurel forest has been badly damaged by timber harvesting, by fire (both accidental and deliberate to open fields for crops), by the introduction of exotic animal and plant species that have displaced the original cover, and by replacement with arable fields, exotic timber plantations, cattle pastures, and golf courses and tourist facilities. Most of the biota is in serious danger of extinction. The laurel forest flora

8927-421: The laurel forests must adapt to high rainfall and humidity. The trees have adapted in response to these ecological drivers by developing analogous structures , leaves that repel water. Laurophyll or lauroid leaves are characterized by a generous layer of wax , making them glossy in appearance, and a narrow, pointed oval shape with an apical mucro or " drip tip ", which permits the leaves to shed water despite

9040-474: The local economy, each adding about 13% to the total. The provincial government is divided into the usual three branches: the executive, headed by a popularly elected governor, who appoint the cabinet; the legislative; and the judiciary, headed by the Supreme Court. The Constitution of Misiones Province forms the formal law of the province. In Argentina, the most important law enforcement organization

9153-488: The main characteristic is the presence of hills in the central and northern parts of the province leading to lower temperatures as a result of the higher elevation. Average annual rainfall ranges from a low of 1,870 millimetres (74 in) in the south to 2,360 millimetres (93 in) in the north. The rainfall pattern in the province has a bimodal distribution with two peaks occurring in Spring and Autumn with winters being

9266-547: The monsoon-influenced subtropical highland climate similar to subpolar oceanic climates occurs in small areas in Yunnan, Sichuan and parts of the Altiplano between Bolivia , Peru and Chile , where summers are sufficiently short to be Cwc with fewer than four months over 10 °C (50 °F) due to the high altitudes at these locations. El Alto, Bolivia , is one of the few confirmed towns that features this variation of

9379-555: The montane rain forests of the Western Ghats in southern India . Laurel forest occurs in the montane rain forest of Sri Lanka . The Afromontane laurel forests describe the plant and animal species common to the mountains of Africa and the southern Arabian Peninsula . The afromontane regions of Africa are discontinuous, separated from each other by lowlands, resembling a series of islands in distribution. Patches of forest with Afromontane floristic affinities occur all along

9492-417: The most important herbivores, but birds and bats are the predominant seed-dispersers and pollinators . Decomposers such as invertebrates, fungi, and microbes on the forest floor are critical to nutrient cycling . These conditions of temperature and moisture occur in four different geographical regions: Some laurel forests are a type of cloud forest . Cloud forests are found on mountain slopes where

9605-484: The mountain chains. Afromontane communities occur above 1,500–2,000 m (4,900–6,600 ft) elevation near the equator, and as low as 300 m (980 ft) elevation in the Knysna-Amatole montane forests of South Africa . Afromontane forests are cool and humid. Rainfall is generally greater than 700 mm/a (28 in/year), and can exceed 2,000 mm (79 in) in some regions, occurring throughout

9718-576: The national census of 2022. A part of the population is descendant of indigenous peoples (especially Guaranis ) and also Spanish who reached during the colonization and mixed with natives. Another part of the residents are descendants of European immigrants . Unlike many regions of Argentina, where the immigrants came through Buenos Aires , most of the immigrants who settled in Misiones came through Southern Brazil . The ethnic groups who settled in Misiones after Spaniards are Italians , Germans , Poles , Ukrainians , Swiss , Russians , Swedes , Danes and

9831-790: The north. The only cloud forest in the Pacific coastal zone of Central America is on the Mombacho volcano in Nicaragua. In Costa Rica there are laurisilvas in the "Cordillera de Tilarán " and Volcán Arenal , called Monteverde , also in the Cordillera de Talamanca . The Yungas are typically evergreen forests or jungles, and multi-species, which often contain many species of the laurel forest. They occur discontinuously from Venezuela to northwestern Argentina including in Brazil , Bolivia , Chile , Colombia , Ecuador , and Peru , usually in

9944-490: The northwest, Brazil to the north, east and south, and Corrientes Province of Argentina to the southwest. This was an early area of Roman Catholic missionary activity by the Jesuits in what was then called the province of Paraguay, beginning in the early 17th century. In 1984, the ruins of four mission sites in Argentina were designated World Heritage Sites by UNESCO . Indigenous peoples of various tribes lived in

10057-454: The opposite rainfall pattern to dry-winter climates, with a dry summer and wet winter. This climate occurs mostly at the western edges and coasts of the continents and are bounded by arid deserts on their equatorward sides that brings dry winds causing the dry season of summer, and oceanic climates to the poleward sides that are influenced by cool ocean currents and air masses that bring the rainfall of winter. The five main Mediterranean regions of

10170-650: The opposite rainfall pattern. This climate is rare and is predominantly found in climate fringes and isolated areas of the Cascades and Andes Mountains , as the dry-summer climate extends further poleward in the Americas than elsewhere. The vast majority of the world's human population resides in temperate zones, especially in the Northern Hemisphere , due to its greater mass of land and lack of extreme temperatures. The biggest described number of taxa in

10283-596: The peace in the region), proclaimed the Immigration and Colonization Law . This law fostered the immigration of European colonists in order to populate the vast unspoiled Argentinian territories. On 22 December 1881 the national government in Buenos Aires detached the National Territory of Misiones  [ es ] from the province of Corrientes. Several colonizing companies formed under

10396-499: The predominant vegetation type in the Taiheiyo evergreen forests ecoregion of Japan, which encompasses the mild temperate climate region of southeastern Japan's Pacific coast. There were three main types of evergreen broadleaf forests, in which Castanopsis , Machilus , or Quercus predominated. Most of these forests were logged or cleared for cultivation and replanted with faster-growing conifers , like pine or hinoki , and only

10509-531: The presence of Mediterranean laurel ( Laurus nobilis ) provides an indication of the previous existence of laurel forest. This species survives natively in Morocco , Algeria , Tunisia , Spain , Portugal , Italy , Greece , the Balkans, and the Mediterranean islands. The myrtle spread through North Africa. Tree heath (Erica arborea) grows in southern Europe, but without reaching the dimensions observed in

10622-644: The prosperous trade surrounding these Reductions quickly vanished. Colonists imposed a brutal plantation economy in the region, forcing the Guarani to act as slave labor . In 1814, Gervasio Posadas , the Director of the United Provinces of the Río de la Plata , declared Misiones annexed to Argentina's Corrientes (at this time Argentina was quasi-independent but nominally still a Spanish colony). Argentina did not exert de facto control over Misiones, which

10735-429: The proximity of the ocean. Laurel forests are characterized by evergreen and hardwood trees, reaching up to 40 m (130 ft) in height. Laurel forest, laurisilva, and laurissilva all refer to plant communities that resemble the bay laurel . Some species belong to the true laurel family, Lauraceae , but many have similar foliage to the Lauraceae due to convergent evolution . As in any other rainforest, plants of

10848-627: The region "as a by-product of the Paraguayan war in the 1860s". The War of the Triple Alliance left Paraguay much impoverished, and Misiones benefited economically from belonging to Argentina. In 1876 the Argentine President Nicolás Avellaneda , assisted by his close friend, General Pietro Canestro (an Italian nobleman who devoted much of his life and wealth to the achievement and sustainability of

10961-507: The region are known as the Laurisilva Misionera , after Argentina's Misiones Province . The Araucaria moist forests occupy a portion of the highlands of southern Brazil, extending into northeastern Argentina. The forest canopy includes species of Lauraceae ( Ocotea pretiosa , O. catharinense and O. porosa ), Myrtaceae ( Campomanesia xanthocarpa ), and Leguminosae ( Parapiptadenia rigida ), with an emergent layer of

11074-554: The southeastern laurel forests gives way to a mixed landscape of tropical savanna and tropical rainforest . There are several different broadleaved evergreen canopy trees in the laurel forests of the southeastern United States. In some areas, the evergreen forests are dominated by species of Live oak ( Quercus virginiana ), Laurel oak ( Quercus hemisphaerica ), southern magnolia ( Magnolia grandiflora ), red bay ( Persea borbonia ), cabbage palm ( Sabal palmetto ), and sweetbay magnolia ( Magnolia virginiana ). In several areas on

11187-509: The subtropical highland climate. Cold summer mediterranean climates ( Csc ) are present in high-elevation areas around coastal Csb climate areas, where the strong maritime influence prevents the average winter monthly temperature from dropping below 0 °C. Despite the maritime influence, they are classified alongside other mediterranean climates in the Köppen classification rather than oceanic climates like subtropical highland climates due to

11300-491: The supercontinent of Gondwana , and species of this community are now found in several separate areas of the Southern Hemisphere , including southern South America , southernmost Africa , New Zealand , Australia and New Caledonia . Most Laurel forest species are evergreen, and occur in tropical, subtropical, and mild temperate regions and cloud forests of the northern and southern hemispheres, in particular

11413-1828: The tea family ( Theaceae ), as well as magnolias , bamboo , and rhododendrons . These subtropical forests lie between the temperate deciduous and conifer forests to the north and the subtropical/tropical monsoon forests of Indochina and India to the south. Associations of Lauraceous species are common in broadleaved forests; for example, Litsea spp., Persea odoratissima , Persea duthiei , etc., along with such others as Engelhardia spicata , tree rhododendron ( Rhododendron arboreum ), Lyonia ovalifolia , wild Himalayan pear ( Pyrus pashia ), sumac ( Rhus spp.), Himalayan maple ( Acer oblongum ), box myrtle ( Myrica esculenta ), Magnolia spp., and birch ( Betula spp.). Some other common trees and large shrub species of subtropical forests are Semecarpus anacardium , Crateva unilocularis , Trewia nudiflora , Premna interrupta , Vietnam elm ( Ulmus lancifolia ), Ulmus chumlia , Glochidion velutinum , beautyberry ( Callicarpa arborea ), Indian mahogany ( Toona ciliata ), fig tree ( Ficus spp.), Mahosama similicifolia , Trevesia palmata , brushholly ( Xylosma longifolium ), false nettle ( Boehmeria rugulosa ), Heptapleurum venulosum , Casearia graveilens , Actinodaphne reticulata , Sapium insigne , Nepalese alder ( Alnus nepalensis ), marlberry ( Ardisia thyrsiflora ), holly ( Ilex spp), Macaranga pustulata , Trichilia cannoroides , hackberry ( Celtis tetrandra ), Wenlendia puberula , Saurauia nepalensis , ring-cupped oak ( Quercus glauca ), Ziziphus incurva , Camellia kissi , Hymenodictyon flaccidum , Maytenus thomsonii , winged prickly ash ( Zanthoxylum armatum ), Eurya acuminata , matipo ( Myrsine semiserrata ), Sloanea tomentosa , Hydrangea aspera , Symplocos spp., and Cleyera spp. In

11526-716: The temperate evergreen forest of Macaronesia or North Africa. The broad-leaved Rhododendron ponticum baeticum and/or Rhamnus frangula baetica still persist in humid microclimates, such as stream valleys, in the provinces of Cádiz and Málaga in Spain , in the Portuguese Serra de Monchique , and the Rif Mountains of Morocco . The Parque Natural de Los Alcornocales has the biggest and best preserved relicts of Laurisilva in Western Europe . Although

11639-449: The temperate zone may be divided into several smaller climate zones, based on monthly temperatures, the coldest month, and rainfall. These can include the subtropical zone ( humid subtropical and Mediterranean climate ), and the cool temperate zone ( oceanic and continental climates ). These climates are typically found in the more equatorial regions of the temperate zone, between 23.5° and 35° north or south. They are influenced more by

11752-603: The temperate zone, the cloud forest between 2,000 and 3,000 m altitude supports broadleaved evergreen forest dominated by plants such as Quercus lamellosa and Q. semecarpifolia in pure or mixed stands. Lindera and Litsea species, Himalayan hemlock ( Tsuga dumosa ), and Rhododendron spp. are also present in the upper levels of this zone. Other important species are Magnolia campbellii , Michelia doltsopa , andromeda ( Pieris ovalifolia ), Daphniphyllum himalense , Acer campbellii , Acer pectinatum , and Sorbus cuspidata , but these species do not extend toward

11865-472: The tropics or subtropics. They have characteristically mild temperatures year-round, featuring the four seasons in the subtropics and no marked seasons in the tropics, the latter usually remaining mild to cool through most of the year. Subtropical highland climates under the Cfb classification usually have rainfall spread relatively evenly in all months of the year similar to most oceanic climates while climates under

11978-458: The tropics than by other temperate climate types, usually experiencing warmer temperatures throughout the year, with longer, hotter summers and shorter, milder winters. Freezing precipitation is uncommon in this part of the temperate zone. Humid subtropical climates generally have long, hot and humid summers with frequent convective showers in summer, and a peak seasonal rainfall in the hottest months. Winters are normally mild and above freezing in

12091-428: The undergrowth grasses, herbs and ferns may be locally common: Basketgrass ( Oplismenus hirtellus ), Bushman Grass ( Stipa dregeana var. elongata ), Pigs-ears ( Centella asiatica ), Cyperus albostriatus , Polypodium polypodioides , Polystichum tuctuosum , Streptocarpus rexii , and Plectranthus spp. Ferns, shrubs and small trees such as Cape Beech ( Rapanea melanophloeos ) are often abundant along

12204-680: The west beyond central Nepal. Nepalese alder ( Alnus nepalensis ), a pioneer tree species, grows gregariously and forms pure patches of forests on newly exposed slopes, in gullies, beside rivers, and in other moist places. The common forest types of this zone include Rhododendron arboreum, Rhododendron barbatum , Lyonia spp., Pieris formosa ; Tsuga dumosa forest with such deciduous taxa as maple ( Acer ) and Magnolia ; deciduous mixed broadleaved forest of Acer campbellii, Acer pectinatum, Sorbus cuspidata , and Magnolia campbellii ; mixed broadleaved forest of Rhododendron arboreum, Acer campbellii, Symplocos ramosissima and Lauraceae. This zone

12317-717: The world are the Mediterranean Basin in North Africa , Southern Europe , and West Asia , coastal California in the United States , the South and West states of Australia , the Western Cape of South Africa and the south and southwestern coast of Chile . Subtropical highland climates are climate variants often grouped together with oceanic climates found in some mountainous areas of either

12430-616: The year or during winter or summer, depending on the region. Temperatures can be extreme at some of the higher altitudes, where snowfalls may occasionally occur. In Subsaharan Africa , laurel forests are found in the Cameroon Highlands forests along the border of Nigeria and Cameroon , along the East African Highlands, a long chain of mountains extending from the Ethiopian Highlands around

12543-559: The year, but with some subhumid Mediterranean climate influence for 3–4 months in summer. The temperatures are sufficiently invariant and mild, with no month falling below 5 °C (41 °F), and the warmest month below 22 °C (72 °F). Laurel forest appears on mountains of the coastal strip of New South Wales in Australia , New Guinea , New Caledonia , Tasmania , and New Zealand . The laurel forests of Australia, Tasmania, and New Zealand are home to species related to those in

12656-489: Was claimed by several countries and effectively governed itself. In 1830 Argentine military forces from Corrientes Province took control of Misiones. In 1838, Paraguay occupied Misiones, claiming the area on the basis that the Misiones population consisted of indigenous Guarani, the major ethnic group of Paraguay. In 1865, Paraguayan forces invaded Misiones again in what became the War of the Triple Alliance (1864–1870). Following

12769-444: Was estimated at US$ 4.8 billion (which shall be around US$ 7.2 billion in 2011, according to Argentina's economical growing) or US$ 4,940 per capita (around US$ 6,500 in 2011), over 40% below the national average. Though its rainy, erosion-prone geography discourages intensive crop farming , agriculture makes an important contribution to the province's economy, adding about 10% to the total. Misiones' thick forests have long provided for

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