Useful Tree Species for Eastern Africa

a species selection tool based on the VECEA Map



Montane grassland with patches of afromontane forests

Description

This mosaic was not described in the VECEA documentation. The WWF ecoregional map describes this as the Southern Rift Montane Forest-Grassland Mosaic. It consists of a series of mountains and plateaus centered on the eastern and northern shores of Lake Malawi/Nyasa. It is composed of several structurally and compositionally distinct vegetation communities, the most dominant of which is grassland (White 1983), while afromontane forests (Fa , Fb and Fd) occurs in less than 5% of the landscape, mostly confined to fire-sheltered pockets, moist escarpments, valleys and watercourses (Chapman and White 1970; Kerfoot 1963-64a, Dowsett-Lemaire 1989).

The preponderance of the grassland community is commonly attributed to the high frequency and extent of range fires, which have swept the ecoregion’s grasslands for centuries, continuously eroding the margins of the once abundant Afromontane forests (White 1983; Dowsett-Lemaire 1989). However, the high endemism in grassland species (but not the grasses) for that region may suggest the grassland vegetation vegetation prevalent nowadays may have been common for thousands of years or longer [add references]. See for more details the description fo this ecoregional map: https://www.worldwildlife.org/ecoregions/at1015

Conservation status

The table shows the area (km2) of the PNV is outside the protected areas (NP) and the area protected within one of the protected areas, split by IUCN management category. Only the nationally designated protected areas were included.

PNVIIVINCNPSum
Gm/F98961,75712,90815,660
Sum98961,75712,90815,660
IUCNGm/FSum
II989989
VI66
NC1,7571,757
NP12,90812,908
Sum15,66015,660

Ia - Strict nature reserve, Ib - Wilderness area, II - National park, III - Natural monument or feature, IV - Habitat/species management area, V - Protected landscape/seascape, VI - Protected area with sustainable use of natural resources, NC - unclassified or not assigned, NP - outside the protected areas

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