Los Volcanes Biosphere Reserve
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Los Volcanes Biosphere Reserve | |
|---|---|
 Iztaccihuatl volcano | |
  | |
| Location | Mexico |
| Coordinates | 19°33′34.920″N 98°39′32.760″W / 19.55970000°N 98.65910000°W |
| Area | 171,774.4 hectares (663.225 sq mi) |
| Established | 2010 |
| Governing body | Izta-Popo Zoquiapan National Park |
Los Volcanes Biosphere Reserve (established 2010) is a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve located within the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt of south-central Mexico. The 171,774.4 hectares (663.225 sq mi) reserve surrounds the volcanoes of Popocatépetl and Ixtaccíhuatl and marks the biogeographical boundary between the Nearctic and Neotropical realms. The reserve is managed by Iztaccíhuatl Popocatépetl Zoquiapan National Park.[1]
The altitude of Los Volcanes varies between 2,589 metres (8,494 ft) above sea level and 5,452 metres (17,887 ft) above sea level. There is a very marked ecosystem gradient deriving from the variations in altitude, favoring enormous specific wealth and the presence of endemic species. Its diverse ecosystems consist of the pine and sacred fir (Abies religiosa, Oyamel in Nahuatl) of the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt pine-oak forests as well as high-mountain prairies. Its geological formations (hills, volcanic cones and slopes) are of volcanic origin with a predomination of basalt and andesitic rocks.[1]
