Southern Rift montane forest–grassland mosaic explained

Southern Rift montane forest-grassland mosaic
Image Alt:center
Map:AT1015 map.png
Map Size:250
Map Alt:center
Biogeographic Realm:Afrotropic
Biome:Montane grasslands and shrublands
Area:33,400
Countries:Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania, and Zambia
Coordinates:-9.9058°N 34.6392°W
Conservation:critical/endangered

The South Malawi montane forest-grassland mosaic is a montane grasslands and shrublands ecoregion of Tanzania, Malawi, Mozambique, and Zambia.

The ecoregion encompasses several high mountains and plateaus north and east of Lake Malawi.[1]

Climate

The ecoregion has a tropical highlands climate, generally cooler and more humid than the surrounding lowlands. Most rainfall occurs during the November to April wet season. Most rain comes from convectional thunderstorms originating over Lake Malawi.[2]

Flora

The predominant plant communities include montane grasslands, shrublands, and evergreen forests.

Fauna

Near-endemic mammals include the Black and red bush squirrel (Paraxerus lucifer), Swynnerton's bush squirrel (Paraxerus vexillarius), Greater hamster-rat (Beamys major), Grant's bushbaby (Galagoides granti), Desperate shrew (Crocidura desperata),[3] and Tanzanian vlei rat (Otomys lacustris)[4]

The Rungwe dwarf galago, a newly-identified species in genus Galagoides, is found on Mount Rungwe and nearby in the Poroto Mountains and Kipengere Range in Tanzania. It inhabits montane evergreen and bamboo forests. Specimens were first collected in the 1930s, but were identified as different species. A formal description of the species is presently being made.[5]

Protected areas

Protected areas in the ecoregion include:

Notes and References

  1. "Southern Rift montane forest-grassland mosaic". World Wildlife Fund ecoregion profile. Accessed 1 September 2019. https://www.worldwildlife.org/ecoregions/at1015
  2. "Southern Rift montane forest-grassland mosaic". World Wildlife Fund ecoregion profile. Accessed 5 September 2019. https://www.worldwildlife.org/ecoregions/at1015
  3. "Southern Rift montane forest-grassland mosaic". World Wildlife Fund ecoregion profile. Accessed 2 September 2019. https://www.worldwildlife.org/ecoregions/at1015
  4. Ara Monadjem, Peter J. Taylor, Christiane Denys, Fenton P.D. Cotterill (2015). "Rodents of Sub-Saharan Africa: A biogeographic and taxonomic synthesis." Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co KG, 2015. pg. 900
  5. Charles Foley, Lara Foley, Alex Lobora, Daniela De Luca, Maurus Msuha, Tim R.B. Davenport, Sarah M. Durant (2014). "A Field Guide to the Larger Mammals of Tanzania". Princeton University Press, 2014.
  6. Tim R. B. Davenport, Noah E. Mpunga, and Sophy J. Machaga "Census and Conservation Assessment of the Red Colobus (Procolobus Rufomitratus Tephrosceles) on the Ufipa Plateau, Southwest Tanzania: Newly-Discovered, Threatened and Extinct Populations," Primate Conservation 22(1), 97-105, (1 January 2007). https://doi.org/10.1896/052.022.0108
  7. BirdLife International (2019) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Livingstone Mountains forests. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 06/09/2019.
  8. BirdLife International (2019) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Umalila Mountains. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 02/09/2019.
  9. BirdLife International (2019) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Ntchisi Mountain Forest Reserve. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 01/09/2019.
  10. "Southern Rift montane forest-grassland mosaic". World Wildlife Fund ecoregion profile. Accessed 1 September 2019. https://www.worldwildlife.org/ecoregions/at1015

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