What is the Eastern Afromontane?
What is the Eastern Afromontane?
The Eastern Afromontane biodiversity hotspot—which stretches over a curving arc of widely scattered but biogeographically similar mountains from Saudi Arabia to Mozambique and Zimbabwe—is one of the Earth’s 35 biodiversity hotspots, the most biologically rich yet threatened areas around the globe.
Why is the eastern Afromontane a biodiversity hotspot?
The rich biological diversity in the hotspot is mirrored by the massive ecosystem services it provides, including water for vast areas of Eastern Africa and the Arabian Peninsula.
What animals live in Eastern Afromontane?
Nearly 350 reptile species are found in the Eastern Afromontane Biodiversity Hotspot. More than 90 species are endemic, most of which are chameleons. This includes the Rwenzori three-horned chameleon (Chamaeleo johnstoni), which looks like a miniature triceratops and can grow to a length of 30 centimeters.
Why is wallacea a biodiversity hotspot?
Due to historical isolation and speciation, much of the flora and the fauna are endemic in this hotspot. The exploitation of wildlife for food and medicine has led to a steady decline or local extinction of species in Wallacea.
Where is the montane forest located?
Montane forests in temperate climate occur in Europe (the Alps, Carpathians, Caucasus and more), in North America (Cascade Range, Klamath-Siskiyou, Appalachians and more), south-western South America, New Zealand and the Himalayas.
What are global hotspots?
A biodiversity hotspot is a biogeographic region that is both a significant reservoir of biodiversity and is threatened with destruction. The term biodiversity hotspot specifically refers to 25 biologically rich areas around the world that have lost at least 70 percent of their original habitat.
Is Philippines part of wallacea?
Regarded in this light, the Philippines are also part of Wallacea because the arcs of the Philippine Mobile Belt, the Daguma Ranges–Zamboanga Peninsula continental fragment, 204 B. MICHAUX © 2010 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2010, 101, 193–212 Page 13 and the Zambales Block …
Where is the hotspot known as wallacea?
Wallacea is the biogeographical region formed by a group of islands located between continental Asia and the Australia island.
What is the Horn of Africa called?
Horn of Africa, region of eastern Africa. Part of the Horn of Africa region is also known as the Somali peninsula; this term is typically used when referring to lands of Somalia and eastern Ethiopia.
What kind of development does eastern Afromontane have?
Despite its wealth in natural resources, the region is characterized by intense and pervasive poverty. The grip of poverty impedes sound, sustainable development as local people and governments adopt development models and initiatives that yield short-term, unsustainable gains.
Where is eastern Afromontane biodiversity hotspot located?
The Eastern Afromontane Biodiversity Hotspot reaches from the top of four mountain ranges (including the highest peaks in Africa and Arabia) down to large plateaus.
How many species of birds are found in eastern Afromontane?
About 1,300 bird species are found in the hotspot, as are nearly 500 mammal species, including the iconic but Critically Endangered mountain gorilla ( Gorilla beringei beringei ).