Categories · Geographic Regions
Eastern Africa
The Eastern Africa Threatened Conifer Region includes Ethiopia, southern Sudan, Uganda, Kenya and northern Tanzania. There are relatively few conifers species, and they mostly occur at mid to high altitude in evergreen montane rainforest along a chain of isolated mountain ranges following the Rift Valley.
Afrocarpus dawei occurs in seasonal swamp forests near the margins of slow flowing rivers close to Lake Victoria. Due to the higher altitude the climate is relatively temperate and seasonal, with temperatures falling below 10° C in the cold season and rising to above 30° C in the warm season. Rainfall varies between 1200 and 2000mm per annum, with a distinct wet and dry season. Conifers include Juniperus procera, three Afrocarpus and one Podocarpus species. Although A. usambarensis is the only conifer assessed as being globally threatened, the other taxa are in decline and may be nationally threatened in parts of their range. Primary threats include forest clearance due to an ever-expanding population requiring new farmland and from forest degradation and logging.
There are 2 taxa in the category – Eastern Africa:
