Central Volcanic Cordillera (20408)
Costa Rica, Central America
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Global KBA criteria: A1a, A1b, A1d, A1e, B1, B2
Year of last assessment: 2021
National site name: Central Volcanic Cordillera
Central coordinates: Latitude: 10.2007, Longitude: -84.0083
Area of KBA (km2): 1935.90848
Protected area coverage (%): 75.32
KBA classification: Global
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: This site covers the area located to the north of the largest urban region in the country and includes 4 provinces: Alajuela, Heredia, San José and Cartago. Most of its territory extends over part of the slopes of the Central Volcanic Mountain Range. On the Pacific slope, patches of wild vegetation occur mainly near the continental divide, are small, and are extensively disturbed. On the contrary, the Caribbean slope includes large protected areas encompassing a high diversity of ecosystems due to its wide altitude range. This altitude range goes from 3,432 meters above sea level in the Irazú Volcano and 2,900 meters above sea level in the Barva Volcano, up to 36 meters above sea level in the La Selva Biological Station. This is the only example of protection of a complete altitudinal gradient in Central America. Studies in this area have shown that many birds depend on continuous forest for their annual elevational migrations (Stiles 1985, 1988; Loiselle and Blake 1991). Due to the heterogeneity of the terrain and the diversity of climates, there are 7 Life Zones in the area, which include sub-alpine vegetation, restricted to the Irazú Volcano above 2,900 m (Kappele 1996, Barrantes and Lioselle 2002), and Elfin forests in the rest of the tops of the volcanoes and mountains up to 2800 m (Barrantes and Loiselle 2002). Below these forests are oak and cloud forests between 2000-2800 m, from 1500-2500 m the vegetation is of the high and low montane type, giving way to pre-montane vegetation and very humid basal tropical forest (Hartshon 1983, Kappele 1996). This is an area with high levels of precipitation, in the lower part of the area (La Selva) an average annual precipitation of 4000 mm is received, which increases in medium heights (7000 mm to 700 m) and decreases in the highest parts. (5000mm to 970m) (Hartshorn and Peralta 1988, Lieberman and Lieberman 1996, Blake and Loiselle 2000). In the area there are two dry seasons from January to April and from September to October, the intensity of these dry periods seems to decrease as altitude increases within the area (Blake and Loiselle 2000).
Rationale for qualifying as KBA: This site contains the entire known populations of the critically endangered amphibians Craugastor escoces and Incilius holdridgei as well as the endangered Incilius chompipe . This is an Alliance for Zero Extinction site (2022): site confirmed as an AZE site during the AZE project (2018-2022). Taxonomy, nomenclature and Red List category follow the IUCN 2021 Red List. Additionally 56 species of birds meet the thresholds for at least one criterion described in the Global Standard for the Identification of KBAs and two amphibians meet legacy KBA criteria and are in need of reassessment against the Global Standard.
Additional biodiversity: Chamaepetes unicolor Crax rubra Odontophorus leucolaemus Piculus simplex Celeus castaneus Semnornis frantzii Pharomachrus mocinno Trogon clathratus Electron carinatum Ara ambiguus Pyrrhura hoffmanni Touit costaricensis Panterpe insignis Eupherusa nigriventris Elvira cupreiceps Lampornis hemileucus Calliphlox bryantae Selasphorus flammula Selasphorus scintilla Megascops clarkii Antrostomus saturatus Zentrygon costaricensis Zentrygon chiriquensis Aphanotriccus capitalis Contopus lugubris Contopus ochraceus Empidonax atriceps Cotinga amabilis Carpodectes nitidus Cephalopterus glabricollis Procnias tricarunculatus Manacus candei Piprites griseiceps Dysithamnus striaticeps Margarornis rubiginosus Thripadectes rufobrunneus Pittasoma michleri Scytalopus argentifrons Vireo carmioli Cyanolyca argentigula Ptiliogonys caudatus Phainoptila melanoxantha Myadestes melanops Catharus gracilirostris Turdus nigrescens Pheugopedius atrogularis Cantorchilus thoracicus Troglodytes ochraceus Thryorchilus browni Microcerculus philomela Junco vulcani Pezopetes capitalis Pselliophorus tibialis Arremon crassirostris Oreothlypis gutturalis Myioborus torquatus Basileuterus melanogenys Zeledonia coronata Chlorospingus pileatus Lanio leucothorax Ramphocelus sanguinolentus Ramphocelus passerinii Bangsia arcaei Euphonia luteicapilla Euphonia gouldi Euphonia anneae Chlorophonia callophrys Tangara dowii Acanthidops bairdi Sporophila nuttingi Diglossa plumbea Pheucticus tibialis Caryothraustes poliogaster Psarocolius montezuma Zentrygon lawrencii Lampornis calolaemus Icterus prosthemelas Incilius holdridgei Isthmohyla angustilineata Isthmohyla tica Trogon collaris Myiodynastes hemichrysus
Other site values: Site is an existing KBA with 75% of its area managed under Costa Rica's protected area system.
Delineation rationale: This site was delineated as an IBA in 2008 and then confirmed as an AZE site as part of the 2015-2018 amphibian AZE update.
Threats
| Threat level 1 | Threat level 2 | Threat level 3 | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Invasive & other problematic species, genes & diseases | Invasive non-native/alien species/diseases | Named species | Ongoing |
| Agriculture & aquaculture | Annual & perennial non-timber crops | Small-holder farming | Ongoing |
| Residential & commercial development | Housing & urban areas | Ongoing | |
| Human intrusions & disturbance | Recreational activities | Ongoing | |
| Climate change & severe weather | Other impacts | Unknown |