Baja California Peninsula - Ecoregions

Ecoregions

• See also: Category: Flora of Baja California; Category: Flora of Baja California Sur; and Category: Flora of Gulf of California islands

The peninsula is home to several distinct ecoregions. Most of the peninsula is deserts and xeric shrublands, although pine-oak forests are found in the mountains at the northern and southern ends of the peninsula. The southern tip of the peninsula, which was formerly an island, has many species with affinities to tropical Mexico.

• California chaparral and woodlands, which covers the Mediterranean climate northwestern corner of the peninsula, as well as Cedros and Guadalupe islands.
• Sierra Juarez and San Pedro Martir pine-oak forests in the upper reaches of the Sierra Juárez and Sierra San Pedro Mártir ranges in the northern peninsula.
• The Sonoran Desert extends into the northeastern portion of the state, east of the Sierra Juárez and Sierra San Pedro Mártir ranges.
• The Baja California Desert extends east of the Peninsular Ranges along the Pacific side of the peninsula for most of its length, and includes the El Vizcaíno Desert and El Vizcaíno Biosphere Reserve.
• The Gulf of California xeric scrub extends along the Gulf of California side of the peninsula for most of its length.
• San Lucan xeric scrub lies in the lowlands of the peninsula's southern tip.
• Sierra de la Laguna dry forests are found on the lower slopes of the Sierra de la Laguna.
• Sierra de la Laguna pine-oak forests are found at higher elevations in the Sierra de la Laguna.
• The Bahía de los Ángeles Biosphere Reserve