Miombo Ecoregion Vision Report
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Annual Growth Ring Patterns in Brachystegia Spiciformis Reveal Influence of Precipitation on Tree Growth1
BIOTROPICA 38(3): 375–382 2006 10.1111/j.1744-7429.2006.00155.x Annual Growth Ring Patterns in Brachystegia spiciformis Reveal Influence of Precipitation on Tree Growth1 Valerie´ Trouet Vegetation Dynamics Laboratory, The Pennsylvania State University, 302 Walker Building, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, U.S.A. Pol Coppin2 Laboratory for Forest, Nature and Landscape Research, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Vital Decosterstraat 102, 3000 Leuven, Belgium and Hans Beeckman3 Laboratory for Wood Biology and Xylarium, Royal Museum for Central Africa, Leuvensesteenweg 13, 3080 Tervuren, Belgium ABSTRACT The availability of exactly dated tree-ring chronologies is limited in tropical regions. However, these chronologies could contribute widely to studies of the influence of natural and human-induced factors on tropical forests. We examine the potential for building a chronology based on three sites in the miombo woodland of western Zambia. Brachystegia spiciformis Benth., a dominant species from this vegetation type, is used. Response of the chronology to several climatic factors is examined. All specimens showed very clear growth rings, and cross-dating between radii of a tree was successful for all trees. Site chronologies could be constructed after cross-dating of growth ring series of individual trees. The mean growth ring curves of the three sites were significantly similar, allowing for the construction of a regional chronology. Correlation function analysis between the tree-ring chronology and regional climatic variables revealed that climate at the core of the rainy season, in December and January, has an explicit influence on tree growth. Where precipitation and relative humidity in these months influence tree growth positively, temperature correlates in a negative way. -
SEED LEAFLET No
SEED LEAFLET No. 84 September 2003 Baikiaea plurijuga Harms Taxonomy and nomenclature Botanical description Family: Fabaceae (Caesalpinioideae) A medium to large tree, 8-15 (20) m tall, with a large, Synonyms: none. dense, spreading crown. The bark is smooth and pale Vernacular/common names: Rhodesian teak, Zambe- at first, on older trees becoming fissured and cracked. zi teak, Zambezi redwood, Zimbabwean teak, Zambian Leaves are alternate and compound with 4 to 5 pairs teak (Eng.); mukusi (Botswana and Zambia); Rhode- of opposite leaflets. Each leaflet is up to 7 cm long, siese kiaat (South Africa); Zimbabwean teak, Zimbab- sparingly hairy especially on the lower surface and wean chestnut, umgusi, mukusi (Zimbabwe). midrib; the tip is rounded. The large, pink flowers are very attractive; they are borne in up to 30 cm long Distribution and habitat inflorescences. The species is confined to lowland tropical forests on the deep Kalahari sands between 13 and 20°S. It oc- curs naturally in Angola, Botswana, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe, in areas with annual rainfall of 600- 1000 mm and a dry season of 6-8 months. Mature trees can withstand extreme temperatures of over 40°C and have been known to survive severe frost down to -15°C. It is mainly found in deep, infertile, sandy soils where it survives by developing a deep tap root. During the last century, most of the original Zambesi teak forests have been heavily exploited by logging, clearing of land for agriculture and frequent fires and the species is now mainly found in open, dry, deciduous woodland. The species is most typically associated with Pterocarpus angolensis, Julbernardia paniculata, Dialium englerianum. -
Investigating the Impact of Fire on the Natural Regeneration of Woody Species in Dry and Wet Miombo Woodland
Investigating the impact of fire on the natural regeneration of woody species in dry and wet Miombo woodland by Paul Mwansa Thesis presented in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science of Forestry and Natural Resource Science in the Faculty of AgriSciences at Stellenbosch University Supervisor: Prof Ben du Toit Co-supervisor: Dr Vera De Cauwer March 2018 Stellenbosch University https://scholar.sun.ac.za Declaration By submitting this thesis electronically, I declare that the entirety of the work contained therein is my own, original work, that I am the sole author thereof (save to the extent explicitly otherwise stated), that reproduction and publication thereof by Stellenbosch University will not infringe any third party rights and that I have not previously in its entirety or in part submitted it for obtaining any qualification. March 2018 Copyright © 2018 Stellenbosch University All rights reserved i Stellenbosch University https://scholar.sun.ac.za Abstract The miombo woodland is an extensive tropical seasonal woodland and dry forest formation in extent of 2.7 million km². The woodland contributes highly to maintenance and improvement of people’s livelihood security and stable growth of national economies. The woodland faces a wide range of disturbances including fire that affect vegetation structure. An investigation into the impact of fire on the natural regeneration of six tree species was conducted along a rainfall gradient. Baikiaea plurijuga, Burkea africana, Guibourtia coleosperma, Pterocarpus angolensis, Schinziophyton rautanenii and Terminalia sericea were selected on basis of being an important timber and/or utilitarian species, and the assumed abundance. The objectives of the study were to examine floristic composition, density and composition of natural regeneration; stand structure and vegetation cover within recently burnt (RB) and recently unburnt (RU) sections of the forest. -
Disaggregation of Bird Families Listed on Cms Appendix Ii
Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals 2nd Meeting of the Sessional Committee of the CMS Scientific Council (ScC-SC2) Bonn, Germany, 10 – 14 July 2017 UNEP/CMS/ScC-SC2/Inf.3 DISAGGREGATION OF BIRD FAMILIES LISTED ON CMS APPENDIX II (Prepared by the Appointed Councillors for Birds) Summary: The first meeting of the Sessional Committee of the Scientific Council identified the adoption of a new standard reference for avian taxonomy as an opportunity to disaggregate the higher-level taxa listed on Appendix II and to identify those that are considered to be migratory species and that have an unfavourable conservation status. The current paper presents an initial analysis of the higher-level disaggregation using the Handbook of the Birds of the World/BirdLife International Illustrated Checklist of the Birds of the World Volumes 1 and 2 taxonomy, and identifies the challenges in completing the analysis to identify all of the migratory species and the corresponding Range States. The document has been prepared by the COP Appointed Scientific Councilors for Birds. This is a supplementary paper to COP document UNEP/CMS/COP12/Doc.25.3 on Taxonomy and Nomenclature UNEP/CMS/ScC-Sc2/Inf.3 DISAGGREGATION OF BIRD FAMILIES LISTED ON CMS APPENDIX II 1. Through Resolution 11.19, the Conference of Parties adopted as the standard reference for bird taxonomy and nomenclature for Non-Passerine species the Handbook of the Birds of the World/BirdLife International Illustrated Checklist of the Birds of the World, Volume 1: Non-Passerines, by Josep del Hoyo and Nigel J. Collar (2014); 2. -
Zambia Pitta Tour & Black-Cheeked Lovebird Extension 01 - 11 December 2015 Tour Leader Tertius Gous Photographs by Tertius Gous Taken on This Tour
Zambia Pitta Tour & Black-cheeked Lovebird Extension 01 - 11 December 2015 Tour Leader Tertius Gous Photographs by Tertius Gous taken on this tour www.birdingafrica.com Day 1: The first day was mostly a travel day as we departed from Livingstone at noon and traveled in a westerly direction to our lodge situated along the Zambezi River. Roadside birds seen during the journey consisted of Pied Crow, Helmeted Guineafowl, Yellow-billed Kite, Knob-billed Duck, White- browed Sparrow-weaver, Meve’s Starling and Hamerkop. We made a short birding stop in some well-developed mopane woodland where we recorded Southern Carmine and Blue-cheeked Bee- eaters, Red-breasted Swallow, Grey-backed Camaroptera, Brubru and White-crested Helmet- Shrike. Our lodge was situated along a quiet backwater of the Zambezi River and late afternoon birding produced good sightings of Southern Masked-Weaver, Holub’s Golden Weaver, African Jacana, African Openbill, White-faced Duck, Wire-tailed Swallow, White-winged Tern, while Little Rush Warbler and Luapula Cisticola called from the reed beds. Days 2 - 3: We were woken the next morning by the melodious calls of White-browed Robin-Chats emanating from the lush riverine vegetation and gardens of the lodge. Breakfast was served on a wooden deck overlooking the river and we soon got onto a Slaty Egret foraging along the shore, while the antics of Tilapia around their nesting circles in the river was fascinating to watch. The morning was alive with birds and our list was growing quickly with additions such as Red- billed Francolin, Swamp Boubou, Southern Grey- headed Sparrow, African Mourning Dove, Common Waxbill, nesting African Paradise-Flycatcher, Southern Brown-throated Weaver, Brown and Red- billed Firefinch, White- browed and Coppery-tailed Coucal, African Green Pigeon and Diderik Cuckoo. -
Malawi Trip Report 12Th to 28Th September 2014
Malawi Trip Report 12th to 28th September 2014 Bohm’s Bee-eater by Keith Valentine Trip Report compiled by Tour Leader: Keith Valentine RBT Malawi Trip Report September 2014 2 Top 10 Birds: 1. Scarlet-tufted Sunbird 2. Pel’s Fishing Owl 3. Lesser Seedcracker 4. Thyolo Alethe 5. White-winged Apalis 6. Racket-tailed Roller 7. Blue Swallow 8. Bohm’s Flycatcher 9. Babbling Starling 10. Bohm’s Bee-eater/Yellow-throated Apalis Top 5 Mammals: 1. African Civet 2. Four-toed Elephant Shrew 3. Sable Antelope 4. Bush Pig 5. Side-striped Jackal/Greater Galago/Roan Antelope/Blotched Genet Trip Summary This was our first ever fully comprehensive tour to Malawi and was quite simply a fantastic experience in all respects. For starters, many of the accommodations are of excellent quality and are also situated in prime birding locations with a large number of the area’s major birding targets found in close proximity. The food is generally very good and the stores and lodges are for the most part stocked with decent beer and a fair selection of South African wine. However, it is the habitat diversity that is largely what makes Malawi so good from a birding point of view. Even though it is a small country, this good variety of habitat, and infrastructure that allows access to these key zones, insures that the list of specials is long and attractive. Our tour was extremely successful in locating the vast majority of the region’s most wanted birds and highlights included Red-winged Francolin, White-backed Night Heron, African Cuckoo-Hawk, Western Banded Snake -
The Herpetofauna of the Cubango, Cuito, and Lower Cuando River Catchments of South-Eastern Angola
Official journal website: Amphibian & Reptile Conservation amphibian-reptile-conservation.org 10(2) [Special Section]: 6–36 (e126). The herpetofauna of the Cubango, Cuito, and lower Cuando river catchments of south-eastern Angola 1,2,*Werner Conradie, 2Roger Bills, and 1,3William R. Branch 1Port Elizabeth Museum (Bayworld), P.O. Box 13147, Humewood 6013, SOUTH AFRICA 2South African Institute for Aquatic Bio- diversity, P/Bag 1015, Grahamstown 6140, SOUTH AFRICA 3Research Associate, Department of Zoology, P O Box 77000, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, Port Elizabeth 6031, SOUTH AFRICA Abstract.—Angola’s herpetofauna has been neglected for many years, but recent surveys have revealed unknown diversity and a consequent increase in the number of species recorded for the country. Most historical Angola surveys focused on the north-eastern and south-western parts of the country, with the south-east, now comprising the Kuando-Kubango Province, neglected. To address this gap a series of rapid biodiversity surveys of the upper Cubango-Okavango basin were conducted from 2012‒2015. This report presents the results of these surveys, together with a herpetological checklist of current and historical records for the Angolan drainage of the Cubango, Cuito, and Cuando Rivers. In summary 111 species are known from the region, comprising 38 snakes, 32 lizards, five chelonians, a single crocodile and 34 amphibians. The Cubango is the most western catchment and has the greatest herpetofaunal diversity (54 species). This is a reflection of both its easier access, and thus greatest number of historical records, and also the greater habitat and topographical diversity associated with the rocky headwaters. -
The Avifauna of Two Woodlands in Southeast Tanzania
Scopus 25: 2336, December 2005 The avifauna of two woodlands in southeast Tanzania Anders P. Tøttrup, Flemming P. Jensen and Kim D. Christensen In Tanzania Brachystegia or miombo woodland occupies about two-thirds of the country including the central plateau to the north and the south eastern plateau (Lind & Morrison 1974). Along the coast more luxuriant woodlands are found in what White (1983) terms the Zanzibar-Inhambane regional mosaic floristic region. This highly complex vegetation comprises unique types of forest, thicket, woodland, bushland and grassland, interspersed with areas presently under cultivation and fallow (Hawthorne 1993). The coastal woodlands are usually deciduous or semi-deciduous but contain some evergreen species and often merge with coastal thickets, scrub forest and coastal forest (Hawthorne 1993, Vollesen 1994). The avifauna of miombo woodlands has been described for Zambia (e.g. Benson & Irwin 1966) and Zimbabwe (e.g. Vernon 1968, 1984, 1985), while little has been published on the birds of the coastal woodlands. An exception is Stjernstedt (1970) who reported on the birds in lush and dense Brachystegia microphylla vegetation in a sea of miombo in southeast Tanzania. Here we report our observations of birds in two woodlands in coastal southeast Tanzania, one of which harboured miombo trees. We present information on the number of species encountered during the fieldwork, and compare the avifauna of the two sites. We discuss possible causes for the differences observed and provide new information on habitat preferences for some of the species we recorded at these sites. Study sites Field work was carried out in two coastal woodlands in the Lindi Region, southeast Tanzania in September and October 2001. -
15-Day Zimbabwe Birding and Wildlife Spectacular
15-DAY ZIMBABWE BIRDING AND WILDLIFE SPECTACULAR With optional pre-tour to Mana Pools: special Birds, African mammals, and breathtaking scenery including Victoria Falls 1 – 15 FEBRUARY 2021 Racket-tailed Roller will be searched for throughout Zimbabwe. www.birdingecotours.com [email protected] 2 | ITINERARY Zimbabwe 15 (18) days Zimbabwe is an absolutely fabulous country – scenically wonderful, with very friendly people fluent in English and, surprisingly to many people, with a truly excellent infrastructure. The hundreds of miles of paved roads are in very good condition, and it is one of the few African countries of which you can see a great deal without the use of a 4x4. With an improving political leadership and the change to the US Dollar as the local currency, which has greatly improved the economy, the country is once again fast becoming a very popular destination to birders, and right now it is still possible to get very comfortable accommodation at comparatively low rates. During our 18-day tour (which includes the 3-day pre-tour) you’ll see all the major habitats, sights, and birds of this wonderful country and end up with a very good bird list and loads of Africa’s big and small mammals. We begin with your international flight arriving in Harare, from where we take a charter flight to one of Africa’s wildest game parks, Mana Pools National Park. While this is one of the few game parks in Africa you can legally explore on foot, we do not advise this because of the presence of a host of dangerous animals. -