vietnamheadline.com

Pu Luong Nature Reserve
Alternative site name (s)
Phu Luong
Province (s)
Thanh Hoa
Area
17 662 ha
Contact Information
20o21 ‘- 20o34′N, 105o02′ – 105o20′E
Distance (s)
Hanoi: 180 km
Eco-tours
Trekking, mountain biking …
Topography and hydrology
Pu Luong proposed nature reserve Quan Hoa and Ba Thuoc districts in the province northwest of Thanh Hoa. Northeast, is the natural reserve of Mai Chau, Tan Lac and Lac Son district of Hoa Binh province borders. The proposed biodiversity reserve is located on two parallel mountain ranges of north-west to south-east, and are traversed by a central valley. This valley is home to several colonies and a large area of agricultural land, and therefore not included in the proposed nature reserve.
The two edges in the nature reserve have proposed contrasting landscapes, their different media. The smaller south-western edge is mainly composed of igneous and metamorphic rocks, and consists of rounded forested hills and wide flat valleys. The larger, north-east ridge is composed of karst highly fragmented and is a continuation of the limestone range stretching from Cuc Phuong National Park, province of Son La. On the ridge south-west, surface water is more common and the flows are much less seasonal. However, the main features of drainage of the proposed nature reserve in the Central Valley. The other south of the river along the valley, and joins the Ma river downstream further.
The values of biodiversity
The jungle of Pu Luong Nature Reserve is classified as tropical evergreen seasonal rain forest. Five major subtypes occur due to local variations in the underlying substrate and elevation: the lowland deciduous forests on limestone (60 to 700 m), lowland hardwood forest on schist / shale and clay, sandstone (60 to 1000 m), leaves at the foot of the forest on limestone (700 to 950 m), coniferous forest at the foot of the forest on limestone (700 to 850 m) and forest basalt at the foot of hardwood (from 1000 to 1650 m). The reserve is also home to a range of secondary vegetation types, including secondary forests, bamboo, scrub and farmland.
The results of recent botanical Pu Luong nature reserve indicate that the rich flora, with at least 1109 vascular plant species documented on the site argues. The first, primary lowland forest on limestone and shale / shale occurs near the eastern border of the site in the area of lung co. Primary forest in the area ranges from 60 to 1000 m, and the low altitude, supports very high plant diversity.
The second significant subtype of primary forest, primary coniferous submontane forest on limestone, it is a few tips to the heights of the Co Luong restricted area and supports outstanding plant diversity, particularly in relation to epiphytes and lithophytic. The globally threatened conifer Pinus kwangtungensis is a remarkable feature of the flora in this forest subtype.
The third subtype is a significant primary forest primeval forest at the foot of the basalt, which occurs on the upper slopes of the mountain ridge south-west of the proposed nature reserve.
As for vertebrate fauna of Pu Luong, a total of 84 species of mammals (including 24 species of bat), 162 species of birds, 55 fish species, 28 reptile and 13 amphibian species were recorded at the nature reserve. Pu Luong Nature Reserve is an important site for conservation of globally endangered primates endemic Monkey Sheet Delacour. The population of Pu Luong said the number of 40-45 people, making it one of the largest known populations in Vietnam.
Knowledge of the invertebrate fauna of the proposed nature reserve remains rudimentary. However, recent investigations on the spot, that the insect fauna of at least 158 species of butterfly and 96 species of land snails, 12 snail species possibly endemic to the page. Perhaps the most promising of the proposed botanical uniqueness and natural isolation of certain forest formations on the grounds that support the potential of the proposed nature reserve of high endemism of invertebrates and, possibly, new taxa, science.
It is likely that Pu Luong strong wildlife and floral notes in the Cuc Phuong National Park, located 25 km south-east, in the same area was limestone. However, this means that the higher elevations at Pu Luong and the presence of more extensive areas of evergreen forest, the Pu Luong can be expected, a number of species that support will not occur in Cuc Phuong. In fact, the results of the recent survey conducted Pu Luong Nature Reserve, whether the case.
Other documented values
Forest Nature Reserve has proposed a role in protecting the watershed of the Ma River, the largest river in Thanh Hoa province. Equally important, the forest has an important role in protecting water resources of local communities. As a result, forest loss is expected drought, resulted in an increase in agricultural productivity reduced.