Ecoregions of Baileneu Ma

Baileneu Ma is encompassed by many ecoregions, classified by the Central Avalonian Ecological Institute.

Kol-fasi Shield Ecoregions
Large subtropical region found along the mesas of south-east Baileneu Ma, home to mixed broadleaf and coniferous forests and subtropical grassland. Table-top mountains in these regions are remnants of quartz arenite and igneous rock formations that have been eroded over millions of years, and due to their formation, many caves and sinkholes can be found throughout the mountains.

Upper Highlands
Subtropical grassland found along the peaks of the large mesas, much of these regions act as due to the shear cliffs surrounding it. These provides the area with a more temperate climate than the tropical and subtropical forests surrounding it, with elevation ranging between 1200-2400m above sea-level. This region is largely home to lush, grassy savannahs with widely dispersed small, coniferous trees, this is in areas with more humus, as the soil layer is often too thin to support shrubs and trees in higher elevations. Elfin forests are a rare feature of some upper highland areas, usually around 1500m, characterised by dwarven trees that have adapted to have shallow root networks, many epiphytes and ferns can also be found in these forests.

Lower Highlands
These regions refer to areas on the tabletop at lower elevations, as well as the lush forests surrounding the cliffs, usually between 400-1200m above sea-level. Mixed coniferous-broadleaf forests can be found at the lower elevations, with tree-savannah and cloud forests found at higher elevations, as they transition into the upper highland ecosystems.

Wa'kufi Submontane Forests
These are subtropical forests found in the eastern foothills of the mesas, characterised by the abundance of bamboo found in them. They often act as a transitionary between the mesas and valley forest ecoregions, but due to soil conditions they are home to some unique species of bamboo and cashew trees.

South-Western Coastal Ecoregions
Small region along the south-western coast of Baileneu Ma, high-diversity in climate groups, from tropical in the northern ecoregions and semi-arid in the south. Represents a range in altitudes from coastal plains to foothills in the west.

Racoca Foothills
A group of ecosystems found along the western foothills of the Southern Shield, a fairly humid micro-climate is provided by relief rainfall from the highlands, allowing for a variety of tree species to flourish. Palms and Walnut trees are particularly common in these areas, with the genus of palms (thought to be the largest in Anterra) being a emblem of the region. Cannabis and tea were introduced to the region roughly 8,000 years ago and have been cultivated and integrated into the native ecology, becoming wild and invasive in some areas. Alders, oaks and kapok trees are also common at lower elevations, where the tree cover is much thicker, and have been threatened by deforestation during the early-mid 20th century, although conservation projects and re-introduction of agroforestry techniques have led to the trees becoming more abundant. Epiphytes are found at much higher elevations, with orchids being the most common, as well as lianas, herbs and shrubs of the Rubiaceae being dominant at mid-higher altitudes.

This region is home to many species of mammals, mainly of primate and opossum families, some of which are endemic and endangered, such as the red-striped opossum, black spider-monkey and the white-footed tamarind. The spectacled bear and mountain tapir are some of the larger mammals which can be found here, typically living in the upper foothills, whilst the lower elevations are inhabited by brocket deer and pacarana. The region is also home to roughly 170 species of butterfly, many of which are endemic and are typically distributed across different hills and at various elevations. Pronophilina represent the largest group of butterflies, which have only began to be studied in recent years, spurred on by ecological investigations by the CAEI and are of special interest due to their high levels of speciation. Avian species are also thought to be extremely diverse within the foothills, particularly parrot and hawk species, with an estimated 300 different species and sub-species being found throughout the region; the yellow-eared parrot and the endemic burrowing owl hold a special status in the local folklore, with some believing the parrots to be representative of day and the owl of night, causing a big taboo against the killing of these creatures and throughout the hills, small shrines can be found dedicated to these birds.

Indisa Plains
The Indisa plains are an extensive grassland, that stretches from south-west Baileneu Ma into Santa Magdalena, where it is much more abundant, and also transitions into the coastal Yundigi plains and mangroves ecoregion to the west. The vegetation changes from subtropical tree savanna into more open and shrub dominated grassland, which also sees a transition in fauna as well. The north recieves more rainfall than the south, mainly from relief rainfall falling over the highlands and a strong monsoon season, resulting in more tree and large shrub density across the savannahs. This then becomes more grassy as the soil changes and the climate becomes more dry in the south, causing thorn scrub and smaller bushes to become more dominant.

The north is home to a more diverse set of ecosystems, consisting mainly of mosaics of trees and large shrubs near water bodies and more nutrient rich soils, with large and thick shrubby meadows between these areas, as well as flooded savannahs and woodland along the small rivers and streams that flow from the highlands. These seasonally flooded savannahs are home to a variety of semi-aquatic mammals, amphibians and reptiles, such as nutria, giant river ottesr and the indisian water rat. Typically these wetlands are riverine in nature, but due to their small size and lack of endemic species, they are not classified independently. Gallery forests are often common along these small rivers, providing a home for many species of bird and primates, such as the black-bearded saki and the sun parakeet.

The transitional grasslands form a band between the north and south, made up primarly of medium-height grassland with interspersed acacia trees and clusters of small single-species forest made up of. Few streams are perennially active, with most only flowing during the monsoon season, caused convectional and relief rainfall causes the build up of water in highland springs. These streams are important for the fauna in the region, with large herbivores such as deer often making long migrations between these areas. Although many of them are clear-water, black-water streams and oxbow lakes are also common in eastern provinces, where tannins from forest vegetation to the east and mineral runoff lead to acidic water in slow-moving areas. This has led to the development of some unique ecosystems that resemble the adaptations made by blackwater ecosystems in the Visi Unutak ecoregions, supporting theories that the wider area of Baileneu Ma was swampland several thousand years ago, but climate shifts led to many of the regions becoming drier, accelerating the succession of wetlands into forest and savannah.

The southern regions of the Indisa plains are the most arid regions of Baileneu Ma, receiving high rainfall only during the summer months, rejuvinating the soil and small springs. Vegetation consists mainly of thorn brush acacia species, as well as succulent and crassulaceous species that are intermittently littered across the lowlands. Palm species are the only large trees typically found in the area, mainly of the carnauba and tucuma species, which are usually found towards the coast. During the rainy season, a substantial change can be seen in vegetation, resulting in many herbs and grasses from the northern plains quickly sprouting in the southern territories; this plays a major role in the ecology of this area, attracting many species of migratory birds to the region when the bushes begin to produce fruit, although this is becoming less common due to weather changes caused by climate change. These areas are home to many large mammals, such as a variety of deer species, peccaries, big cats and large rodents; flightless birds such as rheas are more common in the south, along with some species of eagle and woodpeckers. Maras are also found here, being the only area where they are found in Baileneu Ma, as well as some species of Cavies that bury into the sandy soils. This area is threatened by overgrazing from introduced goat and sheep species, which place a strain on the vegetation in the region, although measures have been taken to provide irrigation to many fields and pastures in this area to combat drought and overgrazing.

Juy'mbeli Valley Ecoregions
Stretches from the foothills of Kol-fasi shields and Unisi Peaks towards the Agarak river, where it transitions from subtropical forests into a tropical wetland region.

Unisi Peaks Ecoregions
Fold mountains from ancient tectonic movement,

Visi Unutak Ecoregions
Largest wetlands in Avalonia, etc