In the first edition of my book, The Ecology of Tropical East Asia (published by OUP) I defined TEA as political SE Asia, minus eastern Indonesia, plus southern China, the Ryukyu, Andaman, and Nicobar Islands. In the second edition, published in 2014, I added Northeast India, Bhutan, Sikkim, and adjacent parts of Bangladesh in order to make the region more inclusive and coherent. The western boundary is still, however, more political than biogeographical. Logically I should include parts of eastern Nepal - but how far west? - and at least northern West Bengal - but how far south? And how much of Bangladesh should be included? The third edition is a long way off, but I need to start thinking about it and following the relevant literature. Any suggestions from Nepal, West Bengal, and Bangladesh would be very welcome. I need to keep the book coherent, so the dominance of 'East Asian' plants, animals, and ecosystems is the main criterion, with similar human cultures and pressures (hunting, increasing monoculture plantations etc.) also relevant.
Hi Richard. I asked one of my friends from Bangladesh - Shariar Caesar Rahman. He said "Chittagong Hill Tracts is very similar to SE Asia culturally and geographically, and species resemble that of SE Asia too. Such as reticulated python, Burmese Serow, Arakan forest turtle; Even the ethnic communties are from Tibeto-Burmese linguistic group."
The flora might also resemble SE Asia. This paper might give some clues - http://www.indianforester.co.in/index.php/indianforester/article/view/51389
Hi Sreekar, I actually included this area in Tropical East Asia in the map (Fig 1.1) in the second edition already, although I did not mention it in the text. I need to search the literature and find some studies to cite. Richard
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