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Coastal forests of eastern Africa

August 25, 2023

The Coastal forests of eastern Africa, also known as the East African Coastal Forests or Zanzibar–Inhambane forests, is a tropical moist forest region along the east coast of Africa. The region was designated a biodiversity hotspot by Conservation International.

  Area of incidence

Geography Edit

The forests extend in a narrow band along the coast of the Indian Ocean, from southern Somalia in the north, through coastal Kenya and Tanzania to the mouth of the Limpopo River in southern Mozambique. The forest belt is 50 to 200 km wide, and extends further west along river valleys. They are bounded on the west by drier grasslands and savannas. Pockets of coastal forest grow on the windward eastern slopes of mountains further inland, including the Eastern Arc Mountains of Tanzania and Kenya and some inselbergs in northern Mozambique, where rainfall and dry-season humidity are higher than the adjacent lowlands.[1]

The World Wildlife Fund divides the coastal forests into two ecoregions: the Northern Zanzibar-Inhambane coastal forest mosaic, which extends from southern Somalia through coastal Kenya to southern Tanzania, and includes the islands of Zanzibar and Pemba, and the Southern Zanzibar-Inhambane coastal forest mosaic, which extends from southern Tanzania along the Mozambique coast to the mouth of the Limpopo.

Climate Edit

Rainfall averages from 800 and 1200 mm per year in most of the coastal belt, with a well-defined dry season. Rainfall is similar to the interior savannas, but humidity in the coastal belt is higher during the dry season. A few places have higher rainfall, including the islands of islands of Unguja (Zanzibar) and Pemba and the eastern slopes of the East Usambara Mountains, and are home to rain forests.[1]

Flora Edit

Forest was once the primary climax vegetation across most of the region. Most primary forest has been replaced by secondary wooded grassland, agriculture, and forest plantations. Frank White (1983) identified ten characteristic plant communities:[1][2]

  • Zanzibar-Inhambane lowland rain forest It found mostly in Tanzania, on the windward (east-facing) slopes of the Uluguru, Nguru, and Usambara Mountains, and in parts of Ulanga and Iringa districts. Trees form a closed evergreen canopy up to 20 meters tall, with emergent trees up to 40 meters tall. It is now reduced to small remnant patches.[1]
  • Transitional rain forest grows at middle elevations (above 800 meters) in the Usambara and other nearby mountains. It is a transition between lowland and montane forests, and includes a mix of lowland and Afromontane species, along with many endemic species. The Amani Forest in Tanzania's Usambara mountains is the most intact remnant of this forest type.[1]
  • Zanzibar-Inhambane undifferentiated forest varies in form and species composition based on rainfall and soils. In moister areas, trees form a canopy 15-20 meters high, with emergents of 30 or 35 meters. Many trees are evergreen, while others are briefly deciduous.[1]
  • Zanzibar-Inhambane scrub forest. In Somalia and Kenya, scrub forest grows in a band between coastal forests and the drier bushlands of the interior.[1] It is also found near the coast in Kenya and Tanzania, often on coral rag.[1][3]
  • Swamp forest grows in limited areas in the coastal lowlands, often inland from coastal mangroves and exending along the lower reaches of rivers. Barringtonia racemosa is the predominant tree. Swamp forests of Raffia palm grow in low-lying areas of Pemba Island.[1]
  • Zanzibar-Inhambane transition woodland
  • Zanzibar-Inhambane woodland and scrub woodland
  • Zanzibar-Inhambane evergreen and semi-evergreen bushland and thicket
  • Zanzibar-Inhambane edaphic grassland
  • Zanzibar-Inhambane secondary grassland and wooded grassland

White (1983) estimated 3000 plant species were native to the region, of which several hundred are endemic. Of 192 native forest trees recorded by White, 90, or nearly half, are endemic.[1]

Gallery Edit

  •  

    A moist forested gulley at Pemba, Mozambique

  •  

    Deciduous forest on the Yoloko inselberg near Pemba, Mozambique

  •  

    Hildegardia migeodii, Malvaceae, a rare endemic of these forests

See also Edit

References Edit

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j White, F.; Unesco; Association pour l'étude taxonomique de la flore d'Afrique tropicale; United Nations Sudano-Sahelian Office (1983). Vegetation of Africa : a descriptive memoir to accompany the Unesco/AETFAT/UNSO vegetation map of Africa. Paris: Unesco. ISBN 92-3-101955-4. OCLC 10387142.
  2. ^ Kindt R, van Breugel P, Orwa C, Lillesø JPB, Jamnadass R and Graudal L (2015) Useful tree species for Eastern Africa: a species selection tool based on the VECEA map. Version 2.0. World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF) and Forest & Landscape Denmark. //vegetationmap4africa.org
  3. ^ Kindt, R., van Breugel, P., Lillesø, J-P. B., Bingham, M., Demissew, S., Dudley, C., ... Graudal, L. O. V. (2011). Potential natural vegetation of Eastern Africa (Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia): Volume 2: description and tree species composition for forest potential natural vegetation types. Forest & Landscape, University of Copenhagen. Forest & Landscape Working Papers, No. 62/2011

External links Edit

  • Coastal Forests of Kenya and Tanzania (Tanzania Forest Conservation Group)
  • "Southern Zanzibar-Inhambane coastal forest mosaic". Terrestrial Ecoregions. World Wildlife Fund.
  • "Northern Zanzibar-Inhambane coastal forest mosaic". Terrestrial Ecoregions. World Wildlife Fund.
  • African Wild Dog Conservancy's Biodiversity Hotspots Page

August 25, 2023
coastal, forests, eastern, africa, also, known, east, african, coastal, forests, zanzibar, inhambane, forests, tropical, moist, forest, region, along, east, coast, africa, region, designated, biodiversity, hotspot, conservation, international, area, incidence,. The Coastal forests of eastern Africa also known as the East African Coastal Forests or Zanzibar Inhambane forests is a tropical moist forest region along the east coast of Africa The region was designated a biodiversity hotspot by Conservation International Area of incidence Contents 1 Geography 2 Climate 3 Flora 4 Gallery 5 See also 6 References 7 External linksGeography EditThe forests extend in a narrow band along the coast of the Indian Ocean from southern Somalia in the north through coastal Kenya and Tanzania to the mouth of the Limpopo River in southern Mozambique The forest belt is 50 to 200 km wide and extends further west along river valleys They are bounded on the west by drier grasslands and savannas Pockets of coastal forest grow on the windward eastern slopes of mountains further inland including the Eastern Arc Mountains of Tanzania and Kenya and some inselbergs in northern Mozambique where rainfall and dry season humidity are higher than the adjacent lowlands 1 The World Wildlife Fund divides the coastal forests into two ecoregions the Northern Zanzibar Inhambane coastal forest mosaic which extends from southern Somalia through coastal Kenya to southern Tanzania and includes the islands of Zanzibar and Pemba and the Southern Zanzibar Inhambane coastal forest mosaic which extends from southern Tanzania along the Mozambique coast to the mouth of the Limpopo Climate EditRainfall averages from 800 and 1200 mm per year in most of the coastal belt with a well defined dry season Rainfall is similar to the interior savannas but humidity in the coastal belt is higher during the dry season A few places have higher rainfall including the islands of islands of Unguja Zanzibar and Pemba and the eastern slopes of the East Usambara Mountains and are home to rain forests 1 Flora EditForest was once the primary climax vegetation across most of the region Most primary forest has been replaced by secondary wooded grassland agriculture and forest plantations Frank White 1983 identified ten characteristic plant communities 1 2 Zanzibar Inhambane lowland rain forest It found mostly in Tanzania on the windward east facing slopes of the Uluguru Nguru and Usambara Mountains and in parts of Ulanga and Iringa districts Trees form a closed evergreen canopy up to 20 meters tall with emergent trees up to 40 meters tall It is now reduced to small remnant patches 1 Transitional rain forest grows at middle elevations above 800 meters in the Usambara and other nearby mountains It is a transition between lowland and montane forests and includes a mix of lowland and Afromontane species along with many endemic species The Amani Forest in Tanzania s Usambara mountains is the most intact remnant of this forest type 1 Zanzibar Inhambane undifferentiated forest varies in form and species composition based on rainfall and soils In moister areas trees form a canopy 15 20 meters high with emergents of 30 or 35 meters Many trees are evergreen while others are briefly deciduous 1 Zanzibar Inhambane scrub forest In Somalia and Kenya scrub forest grows in a band between coastal forests and the drier bushlands of the interior 1 It is also found near the coast in Kenya and Tanzania often on coral rag 1 3 Swamp forest grows in limited areas in the coastal lowlands often inland from coastal mangroves and exending along the lower reaches of rivers Barringtonia racemosa is the predominant tree Swamp forests of Raffia palm grow in low lying areas of Pemba Island 1 Zanzibar Inhambane transition woodland Zanzibar Inhambane woodland and scrub woodland Zanzibar Inhambane evergreen and semi evergreen bushland and thicket Zanzibar Inhambane edaphic grassland Zanzibar Inhambane secondary grassland and wooded grasslandWhite 1983 estimated 3000 plant species were native to the region of which several hundred are endemic Of 192 native forest trees recorded by White 90 or nearly half are endemic 1 Gallery Edit A moist forested gulley at Pemba Mozambique Deciduous forest on the Yoloko inselberg near Pemba Mozambique Hildegardia migeodii Malvaceae a rare endemic of these forestsSee also EditArabuko Sokoke National Park KwaZulu Cape coastal forest mosaic Maputaland coastal forest mosaicReferences Edit a b c d e f g h i j White F Unesco Association pour l etude taxonomique de la flore d Afrique tropicale United Nations Sudano Sahelian Office 1983 Vegetation of Africa a descriptive memoir to accompany the Unesco AETFAT UNSO vegetation map of Africa Paris Unesco ISBN 92 3 101955 4 OCLC 10387142 Kindt R van Breugel P Orwa C Lilleso JPB Jamnadass R and Graudal L 2015 Useful tree species for Eastern Africa a species selection tool based on the VECEA map Version 2 0 World Agroforestry Centre ICRAF and Forest amp Landscape Denmark vegetationmap4africa org Kindt R van Breugel P Lilleso J P B Bingham M Demissew S Dudley C Graudal L O V 2011 Potential natural vegetation of Eastern Africa Ethiopia Kenya Malawi Rwanda Tanzania Uganda and Zambia Volume 2 description and tree species composition for forest potential natural vegetation types Forest amp Landscape University of Copenhagen Forest amp Landscape Working Papers No 62 2011External links EditCoastal Forests of Kenya and Tanzania Tanzania Forest Conservation Group Coastal forests of eastern Africa Conservation International Southern Zanzibar Inhambane coastal forest mosaic Terrestrial Ecoregions World Wildlife Fund Northern Zanzibar Inhambane coastal forest mosaic Terrestrial Ecoregions World Wildlife Fund African Wild Dog Conservancy s Biodiversity Hotspots Page Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Coastal forests of eastern Africa amp oldid 1159648499, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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