Geology Reference
In-Depth Information
Similarity
(0,)
Moreau's Montane Forest Groups. The results of
the cluster analysis shown in Figure 10.l show a
number of important groupings in terms of the
species composiion of the avifaunas. The group-
ings are discussed in tun.
0.8
0.
7
0.6
0.5
0.4
0.3
CAMEROUN
Taita Hills
1. The Angolan forests. These are easily the most
disinct of all the montane forests in Africa in
terms of their species composition. Surprisingly,
they are also very disinct from each other. The
Angolan escarpment forests (with only 12 mon-
tane species, six of which are endemic), have a Q
of only 0.333 with Mount Moco, and they are
even more dissimilar from every other forest. The
highest level of similariy between Mount Moco
and any other forest is only 0.368, with the Crater
Highlands in northern Tanzania. Clearly the
Angolan forests do not consitute a Montane For-
est Group in their own right, but rather an
anomaly, outside the main variation in the African
montane forest avifauna. Oher examples of such
anomalies, not quite as distinct but nevertheless
not fiting into any Montane Forest Group, are
presented below. The Angolan forests are very
species-poor. The escarpment forests are charac-
terised by high endemism, whereas those in the
highlands around Mount Moco have a much
lower level of endemism, but include a combina-
tion of species quite unlike that found anywhere
else.
2. The Cameroun highlands. The isolated mon-
tane forests of Cameroun are, as stated by
Moreau (1966), a disinct Montane Forest Group
in their own right (see Figure 10.1). The Group
includes the Obudu Plateau in Nigeria and the
mountains on Bioko (Fenando Po). The Group
is very dissimilar from any others, and the highest
Q value between any of the Cameroun forests
and any other forest is only 0.472 (between
Mount Oku and Mau in Kenya). The Cameroun
Group is relaively homogeneous in its species
composiion (see Jensen & Stuart, 1985), and the
lowest Q within the Group is 0.727 between
Mount Oku and Fernando Po (at opposite ends of
the mountain chain). Mount Oku is the most dis-
inct member of the Group, and coninuing forest
clearance on its slopes is likely to increase this
distinciveness as a result of local exincions of
EAST COAST
ESCARPMENT
CENTRAL
EAST AFRICA
SOUTH MALAWI
J
-
-
SOUTH OF ZAMBEZI
ALBERTINE RIFT
-
Mahale Mountain
-
Ufipa Plateau
ETHIOPIA
�
Angolan Highlands
Angolan Escarpment
Figure
10.1.
Cluster Analysis of the major avifaunal Montane
Forest Groups in Africa, in terms of their species composiion
(see text for details). Major Montane Forest Groups are indi-
cated in capitals.
These five Groups can be given the following
names:
1.
East Coast Escarpment (east Tanzania to
north Malawi)
2. Central East Africa (north Tanzania,
Kenya, east Uganda)
3.
South Malawi (south Malawi and north
Mozambique)
4.
South of Zambezi (mainly east Zimbabwe
and south Mozambique)
5. Alberine Rift (east Zaire, west Uganda,
Rwanda, Burundi)
These results are discussed in greater detail in the
following secion.
Disussion
Montane orest Groups
The 50 forests (listed in Table 10.1) chosen for
this analysis are widely spread throughout
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