New Zealand bioregion
The New Zealand bioregion, located in the Australasia realm, incorporates the country’s two main islands and several hundred small surrounding islands. It does not include territorial claims in Polynesia or Antarctica. The North Island and the west coast of the South Island are dominated by temperate broadleaf forests. A large mountain range divides the South Island, with mountain grasslands at higher elevations and tussock grasslands at lower elevations on the east side of the island. The bioregion contains 11 ecoregions—Chatham Island Temperate Forests [167], Fiordland Temperate Forests [169], Nelson Coast Temperate Forests [170], New Zealand North Island Temperate Forests [171], New Zealand South Island Temperate Forests [172], Northland Temperate Kauri Forests [173], Rakiura Island Temperate Forests [174], Richmond Temperate Forests [175], Westland Temperate Forests [180], Canterbury-Otago Tussock Grasslands [190], New Zealand South Island Montane Grasslands [194]—and several large alpine lakes. The total area of this bioregion is nearly 27 million hectares, not including adjacent marine areas.
Learn more about each of the New Zealand ecoregions below.
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