TY - JOUR

T1 - A biogeographical appraisal of the threatened South East Africa Montane Archipelago ecoregion

AU - Bayliss, Julian

AU - Bittencourt-Silva, Gabriela B.

AU - Branch, William R.

AU - Bruessow, Carl

AU - Collins, Steve

AU - Congdon, T. Colin E.

AU - Conradie, Werner

AU - Curran, Michael

AU - Daniels, Savel R.

AU - Darbyshire, Iain

AU - Farooq, Harith

AU - Fishpool, Lincoln

AU - Grantham, Geoffrey

AU - Magombo, Zacharia

AU - Matimele, Hermenegildo

AU - Monadjem, Ara

AU - Monteiro, Jose

AU - Osborne, Jo

AU - Saunders, Justin

AU - Smith, Paul

AU - Spottiswoode, Claire N.

AU - Taylor, Peter J.

AU - Timberlake, Jonathan

AU - Tolley, Krystal A.

AU - Tovela, Érica

AU - Platts, Philip J.

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © The Author(s) 2024.

PY - 2024

Y1 - 2024

N2 - Recent biological surveys of ancient inselbergs in southern Malawi and northern Mozambique have led to the discovery and description of many species new to science, and overlapping centres of endemism across multiple taxa. Combining these endemic taxa with data on geology and climate, we propose the ‘South East Africa Montane Archipelago’ (SEAMA) as a distinct ecoregion of global biological importance. The ecoregion encompasses 30 granitic inselbergs reaching > 1000 m above sea level, hosting the largest (Mt Mabu) and smallest (Mt Lico) mid-elevation rainforests in southern Africa, as well as biologically unique montane grasslands. Endemic taxa include 127 plants, 45 vertebrates (amphibians, reptiles, birds, mammals) and 45 invertebrate species (butterflies, freshwater crabs), and two endemic genera of plants and reptiles. Existing dated phylogenies of endemic animal lineages suggests this endemism arose from divergence events coinciding with repeated isolation of these mountains from the pan-African forests, together with the mountains’ great age and relative climatic stability. Since 2000, the SEAMA has lost 18% of its primary humid forest cover (up to 43% in some sites)—one of the highest deforestation rates in Africa. Urgently rectifying this situation, while addressing the resource needs of local communities, is a global priority for biodiversity conservation.

AB - Recent biological surveys of ancient inselbergs in southern Malawi and northern Mozambique have led to the discovery and description of many species new to science, and overlapping centres of endemism across multiple taxa. Combining these endemic taxa with data on geology and climate, we propose the ‘South East Africa Montane Archipelago’ (SEAMA) as a distinct ecoregion of global biological importance. The ecoregion encompasses 30 granitic inselbergs reaching > 1000 m above sea level, hosting the largest (Mt Mabu) and smallest (Mt Lico) mid-elevation rainforests in southern Africa, as well as biologically unique montane grasslands. Endemic taxa include 127 plants, 45 vertebrates (amphibians, reptiles, birds, mammals) and 45 invertebrate species (butterflies, freshwater crabs), and two endemic genera of plants and reptiles. Existing dated phylogenies of endemic animal lineages suggests this endemism arose from divergence events coinciding with repeated isolation of these mountains from the pan-African forests, together with the mountains’ great age and relative climatic stability. Since 2000, the SEAMA has lost 18% of its primary humid forest cover (up to 43% in some sites)—one of the highest deforestation rates in Africa. Urgently rectifying this situation, while addressing the resource needs of local communities, is a global priority for biodiversity conservation.

U2 - 10.1038/s41598-024-54671-z

DO - 10.1038/s41598-024-54671-z

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 38472297

AN - SCOPUS:85187807734

VL - 14

JO - Scientific Reports

JF - Scientific Reports

SN - 2045-2322

M1 - 5971

ER -