Geoscience Reference
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Figure 5.13 Structure of African dry forests. Trees tend to be shorter than those of the
rainforest. (Illustration by Jeff Dixon.)
are dominated by Cryptosepalum exfoliatum pseudotaxus (Fabaceae), locally known
as mavunda . The canopy is continuous at 50-60 ft (15-18 m) high, with a lower
canopy at about 25 ft (8 m) and an understory shrub layer of bushes and lianas.
The forest floor is often covered in mosses. Elephants, greater kudu, buffalo,
duikers, and the red river hog use these forests. Bird diversity is high and includes
cuckoos, drongos, flycatchers, bushshrikes, and weavers. Much of the forest is
undisturbed due to its inaccessibility and infertile landscape.
Miombo Woodlands
Miombo woodlands are found throughout Sub-Saharan Africa and are located in
southern Central Africa in the countries of Tanzania, Burundi, the Democratic
Republic of the Congo (DRC), Angola, Zambia, and Malawi. Miombo woodlands
are distinguished from other African savanna, woodlands, and forests by the domi-
nance of tree species in the legume family, subfamily Caesalpinioideae, particularly
miombo ( Brachystegia spp.), mnondo ( Julbernardia spp.), and Isoberlinia trees that
tend to be restricted to this area. The canopy in these woodlands ranges in height
from 15-33 ft (5-10 m), with little or no shrub layer but a grassy groundcover (see
Figure 5.14). The grass layer can grow up to 6.5 ft (2 m) tall. The woodlands are
interspersed with grassy plains and patches of denser forest. Most of the miombo
trees and shrub species shed their leaves late in the dry season, and remain bare for
a short time, usually less than three months. A few weeks to a month before the
rains, the trees flush again with predominantly bright reddish or brilliant green new
foliage. Most of the miombo trees and shrubs flower in this same period, immedi-
ately before the rains. Fire is an important ecological factor in miombo woodlands.
The strong seasonality in precipitation leaves vegetation dry for several months
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