The South Malawi montane forest-grassland mosaic is a

montane grasslands and shrublands Montane grasslands and shrublands is a biome defined by the World Wildlife Fund. The biome includes high elevation grasslands and shrublands around the world. The term "montane" in the name of the biome refers to "high elevation", rather than th ...

ecoregion An ecoregion (ecological region) or ecozone (ecological zone) is an ecologically and geographically defined area that is smaller than a bioregion, which in turn is smaller than a biogeographic realm. Ecoregions cover relatively large areas of l ...

Tanzania Tanzania (; ), officially the United Republic of Tanzania ( sw, Jamhuri ya Muungano wa Tanzania), is a country in East Africa within the African Great Lakes region. It borders Uganda to the north; Kenya to the northeast; Comoro Islands and ...

Malawi Malawi (; or aláwi Tumbuka: ''Malaŵi''), officially the Republic of Malawi, is a landlocked country in Southeastern Africa that was formerly known as Nyasaland. It is bordered by Zambia to the west, Tanzania to the north and northeast ...

Mozambique Mozambique (), officially the Republic of Mozambique ( pt, Moçambique or , ; ny, Mozambiki; sw, Msumbiji; ts, Muzambhiki), is a country located in southeastern Africa bordered by the Indian Ocean to the east, Tanzania to the north, Malawi ...

, and

Zambia Zambia (), officially the Republic of Zambia, is a landlocked country at the crossroads of Central Africa, Central, Southern Africa, Southern and East Africa, although it is typically referred to as being in Southern Africa at its most cent ...

. The ecoregion encompasses several high mountains and plateaus north and east of

Lake Malawi Lake Malawi, also known as Lake Nyasa in Tanzania and Lago Niassa in Mozambique, is an African Great Lake and the southernmost lake in the East African Rift system, located between Malawi, Mozambique and Tanzania. It is the fifth largest fre ...

Climate

The ecoregion has a tropical highlands climate, generally cooler and more humid than the surrounding lowlands. Most rainfall occurs during the November to April wet season. Most rain comes from convectional thunderstorms originating over Lake Malawi.

Flora

The predominant plant communities include montane grasslands, shrublands, and evergreen forests.

Fauna

Near-endemic mammals include the

Black and red bush squirrel The black and red bush squirrel (''Paraxerus lucifer'') is a species of rodent in the family Sciuridae occurring in Malawi, Tanzania, and Zambia. In Malawi, it is found in Misuku Hills and Nyika Plateau and in Tanzania Poroto Mountains and Mount ...

''(Paraxerus lucifer)'',

Swynnerton's bush squirrel Swynnerton's bush squirrel (''Paraxerus vexillarius''), also known as Svynnerton's bush squirrel, is a species of rodent in the family Sciuridae endemic to Tanzania. Its natural habitat In ecology, the term habitat summarises the array ...

''(Paraxerus vexillarius)'',

Greater hamster-rat The greater hamster-rat, greater long-tailed pouched rat, or long-tailed pouched rat (''Beamys major'') is a species of rodent in the family Nesomyidae. It is found in Malawi, Tanzania, and Zambia. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropica ...

''(Beamys major)'',

Grant's bushbaby Grant's bushbaby (''Paragalago granti''), also known as Grant's lesser bushbaby or the Mozambique lesser bushbaby, is a species of primate in the family Galagidae. It is found in Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe. Its natural habitat is ...

''(Galagoides granti)'', Desperate shrew ''(Crocidura desperata)'', and

Tanzanian vlei rat The Tanzanian vlei rat (''Otomys lacustris'') is a species of rodent in the family Muridae. It is found in Kenya, Malawi, and Tanzania. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical high-altitude grassland and swamps. It is threatened by habit ...

''(Otomys lacustris)'' The

Rungwe dwarf galago The Rungwe dwarf galago is a newly identified species of eastern dwarf galago. Specimens were first collected in the 1930s, but were identified as different species. A formal description of the species is presently being made. Description The Ru ...

, a newly-identified species in genus ''

Galagoides The western dwarf galagos are a group of three species of strepsirrhine primates, native to western and central Africa. They are classified in the genus ''Galagoides'' of the family Galagidae. The eastern dwarf galagos (''P. cocos, P. granti, P. ...

'', is found on

Mount Rungwe Mount Rungwe is a volcanic mountain in Mbeya Region, in Tanzania's Southern Highlands. At an altitude of , it is southern Tanzania's second-highest peak. Rungwe's volcano is currently inactive. Geography Rungwe stands at the junction of the e ...

and nearby in the

Poroto Mountains The Poroto Mountains are a mountain range in the Mbeya Region of Tanzania. They are located east of the city of Mbeya. The Poroto Mountains are a northwestward extension of the Kipengere Range, and part of the Southern Highlands. The Poroto moun ...

and

Kipengere Range The Kipengere Range, also known as the Livingstone Mountains, lies entirely in Njombe Region in southwest Tanzania at the northern end of Lake Nyasa. Near Lake Nyasa they are known as the Kinga Mountains. It is a plateau-like ridge of mountains r ...

in Tanzania. It inhabits montane evergreen and bamboo forests. Specimens were first collected in the 1930s, but were identified as different species. A formal description of the species is presently being made.

Protected areas

Protected areas in the ecoregion include: * On Tanzania's

Ufipa Plateau The Ufipa Plateau is a highland in southwestern Tanzania. It lies mostly in Rukwa Region, near the border with Zambia. The plateau is named for the Fipa people who inhabit it. Geography The plateau extends northwest-southeast, rising between two se ...

, the Mbizi Forest Reserve north of

Sumbawanga Sumbawanga is a city located in western Tanzania. It is the capital of Rukwa Region and the municipal seat of Sumbawanga Urban District with postcode number 55100 . The district had a population of approximately 150,000 based on the 2002 census. S ...

. * In the Kipengere Range,

Kitulo National Park Kitulo National Park is a protected area of montane grassland and montane forest on the Kitulo Plateau in the southern highlands of Tanzania. The park is at an elevation of between the peaks of the Kipengere and Poroto mountains and covers an ...

Mpanga-Kipengere Game Reserve The Mpanga-Kipengere Game Reserve is a protected area in Njombe Region of the Southern Highlands of Tanzania, East Africa. The reserve covers an area of . The altitude ranges from to . In addition to the preservation of wildlife the reserve is ...

, and the Irungu (240.32 km²), Chimala Scarp (180.68 km²), Madenge (1,146 ha), Mdando (5,140 ha), Msiora (315 ha) and Sakaranyumo (840 ha) forest reserves. * In Tanzania's Umalila Mountains, the Umalila Catchment Forest Reserve, Mpara Catchment Forest Reserve, Kyosa Forest Reserve, Msimwa Forest Reserve, and Iyondo Forest Reserve. * Matengo Highlands * In northern Malawi's

Misuku Hills The Misuku Hills are a mountain range in Malawi's Northern Region. Geography The Misuku Hills lie near Malawi's northern border. They are bounded on the north by the Songwe River, which forms Malawi's northern border with Tanzania. Tanzania's Um ...

, the Matipa, Mughese, and Wilindi forest reserves. *

Mafinga Hills The Mafinga Hills are a plateau covered by hills, situated on the border between Zambia and Malawi, in Southern Africa. These hills are composed of quartzites, phyllites and feldspathic sandstones of sedimentary origin. This plateau has the high ...

forest reserves in Malawi and Zambia. * On the Nyika Plateau,

Nyika National Park Nyika National Park is Malawi’s largest national park, with an area of 3200 km2 (1250 mile2). Location and road access The park covers practically the whole of the Nyika Plateau in northern Malawi, about 480 km north of Lilongwe and 60 km ...

in Malawi, and

in Zambia. * In the

Viphya Mountains The Viphya Mountains, also known as the Viphya Plateau or Viphya Highlands, are a mountain range in Malawi's Northern Region. Geography The range runs north-northeast along the west shore of Lake Malawi. The range extends approximately 210 km ...

, various forest reserves including Uzumara and South Viphya. * Chipata Mountain in

Nkhotakota Wildlife Reserve Nkhotakota Wildlife Reserve (also known as Nkhotakota Game Reserve or Nkhotakota Wildlife Preserve), is the largest and oldest wildlife reserve in Malawi, near Nkhotakota. The park's hilly terrain features dambos and miombo woodlands as the domina ...

. * Ntchisi Mountain Forest Reserve on

Ntchisi Mountain Ntchisi Mountain is a mountain in central Malawi. It is located in Ntchisi District, east of the town of Ntchisi. Ntchisi Mountain's peak reaches 1702 meters elevation. A few neighboring peaks exceed 1600 meters.BirdLife International (2019) ...

* Dedza Mountain Forest Reserve and Chirobwe, Mua Livuzeli, and other forest reserves the Malawian

Kirk Range The Kirk Range is a plateau in southwestern Malawi, extending in a north-south direction and skirting the southwestern shore of Lake Malawi and the western border of the Shire River valley. The range includes several peaks higher than 1800 meters i ...

. The Mozambican portion of the Kirk Range is unprotected."Southern Rift montane forest-grassland mosaic". World Wildlife Fund ecoregion profile. Accessed 1 September 2019

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External links

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Southern Rift montane forest-grassland mosaic Southern Rift montane forest–grassland mosaic, Afromontane ecoregions Afrotropical ecoregions Ecoregions of Malawi Ecoregions of Mozambique Ecoregions of Tanzania Ecoregions of Zambia Montane grasslands and shrublands