Globally Threatened Biodiversity of the Eastern Arc Mountains and Coastal Forests of Kenya and Tanzania

Gereau, Roy E.; Cumberlidge, Neil; Hemp, Claudia; Hochkirch, Axel; Jones, Trevor; Kariuki, Mercy; Lange, Charles N.; Loader, Simon P.; Malonza, Patrick K.; Menegon, Michele; Ndang’ang’a, Paul K.; Rovero, Francesco; Shirk, Phillip

doi:10.2982/028.105.0104

Cited by 23 publications

(20 citation statements)

References 56 publications

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“…However, because of their restricted distribution, these species might quickly become threatened in the near future. Together, our results underline once again the urgent conservation importance of this region of tropical Africa ( 32 , 35 ).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 67%

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A third of the tropical African flora is potentially threatened with extinction

et al. 2019

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Preserving tropical biodiversity is an urgent challenge when faced with the growing needs of countries. Despite their crucial importance for terrestrial ecosystems, most tropical plant species lack extinction risk assessments, limiting our ability to identify conservation priorities. Using a novel approach aligned with IUCN Red List criteria, we conducted a continental-scale preliminary conservation assessment of 22,036 vascular plant species in tropical Africa. Our results underline the high level of extinction risk of the tropical African flora. Thirty-three percent of the species are potentially threatened with extinction, and another third of species are likely rare, potentially becoming threatened in the near future. Four regions are highlighted with a high proportion (>40%) of potentially threatened species: Ethiopia, West Africa, central Tanzania, and southern Democratic Republic of the Congo. Our approach represents a first step toward data-driven conservation assessments applicable at continental scales providing crucial information for sustainable economic development prioritization.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 67%

“…The Eastern Arc Mountains and Coastal Forests (EAMCF) of Kenya and Tanzania are together one of the most biologically important regions of Africa ( 32 ). When compared to other regions such as Ethiopia or West Africa, our analysis does not highlight the EAMCF as containing a high proportion of potentially threatened species (Fig.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A third of the tropical African flora is potentially threatened with extinction

et al. 2019

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“…The EACF are found in Tanzania and southern Kenya. They form an archipelago-like phytogeographical unit well-known for high levels of species endemism in many groups of organisms (Gereau et al 2016). Among the better-known mountain blocks are the Udzungwas, the Ulugurus, and the Usambaras.…”

Section: Discussion the Eastern Arc Mountains And Coastal Forestsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Lukea gen. nov. (Monodoreae-Annonaceae) with two new species of shrub from the forests of the Udzungwas, Tanzania & Kaya Ribe, Kenya

Cheek¹,

Wq²,

Gosline³

2021

Preprint

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A new genus, Lukea Gosline & Cheek (Annonaceae), is erected for two new species to science, Lukea quentinii Cheek & Gosline from Kaya Ribe, S.E. Kenya, and Lukea triciae Cheek & Gosline from the Udzungwa Mts, Tanzania. Lukea is characterised by a flattened circular bowl-shaped receptacle-calyx with a corolla of three petals that give the buds and flowers a unique appearance in African Annonaceae. Both species are extremely rare shrubs of small surviving areas of lowland evergreen forest under threat of habitat degradation and destruction and are provisionally assessed as Critically Endangered and Endangered respectively using the IUCN 2012 standard. Both species are illustrated and mapped. Material of the two species had formerly been considered to be possibly Uvariopsis Engl. & Diels, and the genus Lukea is placed in the Uvariopsis clade of the Monodoreae (consisting of the African genera Uvariodendron (Engl. & Diels) R.E.Fries, Uvariopsis, Mischogyne Exell, Dennettia Bak.f., and Monocyclanthus Keay). The clade is characterised by often conspicuous, finely reticulate quaternary nervation and incomplete or absent connective shields (in Annonaceae the connective shield is usually complete). Morphologically Lukea is distinct for its broad, turbinate, fleshy pedicel, a synapomorphy. It appears closest to the West African monotypic Monocyclanthus, sharing a trait unusual in the Annonaceae: the calyx in both genera forms a shallow bowl (calyx lobes are absent or vestigial), barely enclosing the base of the petals at anthesis, and persisting as a living, leathery disc at least until the fruit is mature. The placement of Lukea within the Uvariopsis clade is discussed.

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“…The University of Helsinki has a research station in Taita Hills, which served as a base for the fieldwork described in this paper. The crystalline block-faulted Eastern Arc Mountains were formed 290-180 Myr BP [72], and represent a well-known biodiversity hot spot [73][74][75]. While the natural vegetation on the upper slopes of the Taita Hills consists of closed montane forest, long-lasting and intensive human influence has reduced the indigenous forest into remnant patches [68,76,77].…”

Section: Study Areamentioning

confidence: 99%

Vocalization Analyses of Nocturnal Arboreal Mammals of the Taita Hills, Kenya

et al. 2020

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Three poorly known nocturnal mammal species from the montane forests of the Taita Hills in Kenya, were studied via vocalization analysis. Here, their acoustic behaviour is described. The studied animals were the tree hyrax (Dendrohyrax sp.), the small-eared greater galago (Otolemur garnettii), and the dwarf galago (Paragalago sp.). High-quality loud calls were analysed using RAVEN PRO, and compared to calls of presumed closest relatives. Our findings include the first detailed descriptions of tree hyrax songs. Moreover, our results suggest that the tree hyrax of Taita Hills may be a taxon new to science, as it produces a characteristic call, the ‘strangled thwack’, not previously known from other Dendrohyrax populations. Our data confirms that the small-eared greater galago subspecies living in the Taita Hills is Otolemur garnettii lasiotis. The loud calls of the elusive Taita Hills dwarf galago closely resemble those of the Kenya coast dwarf galago (Paragalago cocos). Thus, the population in the Taita Hills probably belongs to this species. The Taita Hills dwarf galagos are geographically isolated from other dwarf galago populations, and live in montane cloud forest, which is an unusual habitat for P. cocos. Intriguingly, two dwarf galago subpopulations living in separate forest patches in the Taita Hills, Ngangao and Mbololo, have clearly different contact calls. The Paragalagos in Mbololo Forest may represent a population of P. cocos with a derived call repertoire, or, alternatively, they may actually be mountain dwarf galagos (P. orinus). Hence, differences in habitat, behaviour, and contact call structure suggest that there may be two different Paragalago species in the montane forests of the Taita Hills.

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Globally Threatened Biodiversity of the Eastern Arc Mountains and Coastal Forests of Kenya and Tanzania

Cited by 23 publications

References 56 publications

A third of the tropical African flora is potentially threatened with extinction

A third of the tropical African flora is potentially threatened with extinction

Lukea gen. nov. (Monodoreae-Annonaceae) with two new species of shrub from the forests of the Udzungwas, Tanzania & Kaya Ribe, Kenya

Vocalization Analyses of Nocturnal Arboreal Mammals of the Taita Hills, Kenya

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