View source for Restinga

{{Short description|Type of forest in eastern Brazil}}
{{for|the municipality in Brazil's São Paulo state|Restinga, São Paulo}}
[[File:Floresta de Restinga e Mangue - Itaguaré.JPG|thumb|right|325px|Restinga habitat, São Paulo state]]
'''Restingas''' ({{IPA|pt|ʁesˈtʃĩɡɐ}}) are a distinct type of coastal [[tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests|tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forest]] in eastern [[Brazil]].<ref name="restinga">[http://www.restinga.net Restinga.net]</ref> They form on sandy, acidic, and nutrient-poor soils, and are characterized by medium-sized [[tree]]s and [[shrubs]] adapted to the drier and nutrient-poor conditions.<ref name="restinga"/> One of the most notable restingas is the [[Restinga da Marambaia]] (in [[Rio de Janeiro]]), which is owned and kept by the [[Army of Brazil|Brazilian Army]].

==Ecoregions==
The [[World Wildlife Fund]] distinguishes two ''Restinga'' [[ecoregion]]s. 
*[[Atlantic Coast restingas]] — found in several enclaves along Brazil's east coast from [[Rio Grande do Norte]] state in northeastern Brazil to [[Rio Grande do Sul]] state in southern Brazil, covering an area of {{convert|7,900|km2|sqmi|sp=us}} that extends from the tropics to the subtropics. Its flora and fauna shares affinities with the humid [[Atlantic forest]] of eastern Brazil.
*[[Northeastern Brazil restingas]] — found along the northern coast of Brazil, in [[Maranhão]], [[Piauí]], and [[Ceará]] states. Its flora and fauna are distinct from that of the Atlantic Coast ''restingas'', with greater affinities to the moist forests of the [[Amazon biome]].

==See also==
* [[List of plants of Atlantic Forest vegetation of Brazil]]
* [[Atlantic Forest#Ecoregions|Ecoregions of the Atlantic Forest biome]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}
*{{NatGeo ecoregion|id=nt0144|name=Northeastern Brazil restingas}}

==External links==
*{{WWF ecoregion|id=nt0102|name=Atlantic Coast restingas}}
*[http://www.restinga.net Restinga Net — Information about the restingas in Brazil]
{{commons category|position=left|Restingas}}


{{Clear}}


[[Category:Ecoregions of Brazil]]
[[Category:Tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests]]
[[Category:Atlantic Forest]]
[[Category:Forests of Brazil]]
[[Category:Flora of the Atlantic Forest|.]]
[[Category:Neotropical ecoregions]]


{{-}}
{{ecoregion-stub}}
{{Brazil-geo-stub}}