Southern Annamites montane rain forests
The Southern Annamites montane rain forests ecoregion (WWF ID: IM0152) covers a region of high biodiversity in the central and southern mountains of the Annamite Range in Vietnam. Terrain ranges from wet lowland forest to evergreen hardwood and conifer montane rain forest. There is a short dry season centered on January–February, but fog and dew are common throughout the year and support a lush forest character. Location and description. There are two general areas. One in the central highlands straddling central Vietnam and southern Laos northeast of the Bolaven Plateau. This northern sector around  the Kontum Massif is a complex of granite mountains, and includes Ngọc Linh, the highest peak in Vietnam at . The ecoregion's other area is in the south of Vietnam around the Da Lat Plateau and a highest point of . The southern sector is built more on weathered basalt, which creates fertile soil for agriculture. Climate. The climate of the ecoregion is "Tropical savanna climate - dry winter" (Köppen climate classification ). 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. In this ecoregion, annual precipitation is 1,800-2,000 mm in the Annamites and in the western regions of the Da Lat Plateau, but can reach over 3,000 mm/year on the eastern edge of the Da Lat Plateau. Flora and fauna. The region is about 75% forested. Most of this is a closed forest of broadleaf evergreens, and some needle-leaf evergreen. Wet evergreen forest cover from 600 to 900 meters elevation is characterized by species of Fagaceae, Myrtaceae, and Lauraceae. Above 900 meters, the wet hardwood forest supports a wide variety of tree species, generally dependent  on the geology and soil of the location. The canopy of about 30 meters is lower at higher elevations and with thinner soils. Epiphytes are a common feature of these forests. Khasi pine ("Pinus kesiya") is common throughout the region at elevations up to 1,800 meters. Protected areas. About 11% of the ecoregion is protected in some official capacity, including: