The South Malawi montane forest-grassland mosaic is a

montane grasslands and shrublands Montane grasslands and shrublands are 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 t ...

ecoregion An ecoregion (ecological region) is an ecological and geographic area that exists on multiple different levels, defined by type, quality, and quantity of environmental resources. Ecoregions cover relatively large areas of land or water, and c ...

Tanzania Tanzania, officially the United Republic of Tanzania, is a country in East Africa within the African Great Lakes region. It is bordered by Uganda to the northwest; Kenya to the northeast; the Indian Ocean to the east; Mozambique and Malawi to t ...

Malawi Malawi, officially the Republic of Malawi, is a landlocked country in Southeastern Africa. It is bordered by Zambia to the west, Tanzania to the north and northeast, and Mozambique to the east, south, and southwest. Malawi spans over and ...

Mozambique Mozambique, officially the Republic of Mozambique, is a country located in Southeast Africa bordered by the Indian Ocean to the east, Tanzania to the north, Malawi and Zambia to the northwest, Zimbabwe to the west, and Eswatini and South Afr ...

, 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. It is typically referred to being in South-Central Africa or Southern Africa. It is bor ...

. 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 Lakes, African Great Lake and the southernmost lake in the East African Rift system, located between Malawi, Mozambique and Tanzania. It is ...

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 Mo ...

''(Paraxerus lucifer)'', Swynnerton's bush squirrel ''(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 tropical ...

''(Beamys major)'', Grant's bushbaby ''(Galagoides granti)'', Desperate shrew ''(Crocidura desperata)'', and Tanzanian vlei rat ''(Otomys lacustris)'' The Rungwe dwarf galago, 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, Tanzania, Southern Highlands. At an altitude of , it is southern Tanzania's second-highest peak. Rungwe's volcano is currently inactive. Geography Rungwe sta ...

and nearby in the Poroto Mountains and Kipengere Range 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 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 303,986 based on the 2022 census. ...

. * In the Kipengere Range,

Kitulo National Park Kitulo National Park (''Hifadhi ya Taifa ya Kitulo'', in Swahili) is a national park of Tanzania, constituting a protected area of montane grassland and montane forest on the Kitulo Plateau in the southern highlands of Tanzania. The park is ...

, Mpanga-Kipengere Game Reserve, 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 The Matengo Highlands are located in the western part of the mountainous area of Mbinga, Mbinga District, Ruvuma Region in southern Tanzania. They are home to the Matengo people. Kindimba is the historical center of the highlands. It is located on ...

* In northern Malawi's Misuku Hills, the Matipa, Mughese, and Wilindi forest reserves. * Mafinga Hills 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 no ...

in Malawi, and

in Zambia. * In the Viphya Mountains, 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 domin ...

. * Ntchisi Mountain Forest Reserve on Ntchisi Mountain * Dedza Mountain Forest Reserve and Chirobwe, Mua Livuzeli, and other forest reserves the Malawian Kirk Range. 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