Useful Tree Species for Eastern Africa

a species selection tool based on the VECEA Map



Afroalpine vegetation (A)

Description

The highest mountains of tropical Africa (≥ 3800 m, including the Aberdares (Kenya), Mt. Elgon (Kenya and Uganda), Mt. Kenya, Mt. Kilimanjaro (Tanzania), Mt. Meru (Tanzania), the Ruwenzori Mts. (Uganda and DRC) and the Virunga Mts. (Rwanda and DRC) and the higher peaks of Ethiopia hold the physiognomically mixed vegetation type of Afroalpine vegetation that occurs where night frosts are liable to occur throughout the year (White 1983 pp. 46 and 169). Afroalpine vegetation can be characterized by the occurrence of Giant Senecio species (up to 6 m; Senecio subgenus Dendrosenecio), Giant Lobelia species (up to 6 m), shrubby Alchemilla species and other plants of remarkable lifeforms. Since most of the species also occur in the montane Ericaceous ( E ) and Afromontane forest belts ( Fa, Fb and Fd ), Afroalpine vegetation can be regarded as an archipelago-like floristic region of extreme floristic impoverishment (White 1983 p. 169).


Namaganda June 2008; Figure 3.4 in VECEA Volume 5

Plant species

The main species recorded to occur within this vegetation type (A) are listed below. Clicking the name of any of these species will open the page for that species on the Agroforestry Species Switchboard. Between brackets the English vernacular name of the species and the documented country distribution of the species (B=Burundi, E=Ethiopia, K=Kenya, M=Malawi, R=Rwanda, T=Tanzania, U=Uganda, Z=Zambia) is provided.

Based on information on species presence in national manifestations of vegetation types, each species was classified as a regionally dominant, characteristic, present or marginal species for a vegetation type (Read more ...)

Products and environmental services of tree species

Documented products and environmental services for the tree species occurring in this vegetation type (A) are listed below. Clicking the name of any of these species will open the page for that species on the Agroforestry Species Switchboard. Between brackets information is given on the status of each species ('dom' indicates dominant species, 'cha' characteristic species, 'pre' other species and 'mar' species of marginal occurrence), the English vernacular name of the species and the documented country distribution of the species (B=Burundi, E=Ethiopia, K=Kenya, M=Malawi, R=Rwanda, T=Tanzania, U=Uganda, Z=Zambia).

Wood

Animal consumption

Environmental services

Other products

For more detailed information about the species occurrences see this excel workbook. It provides country specific information on species composition for this vegetation type. It also allows you to select a subset of useful tree species to provide desired products and services. For each species links to a number of websites / databases with information about this species are provided as well.

Conservation status

The table shows the area (km2) of the vegetation type and the percentage of this area explicitly designated for biodiversity, species or landscape protection (A) and areas designated for both protection and sustainable use objectives (B). Only the nationally designated protected areas were included.

PNV Area (km2) A (%) B (%)
A 9,414 27.20 16.50

A) Include the IUCN categories I - IV; B) Include the IUCN categories V - VI and the protected areas without IUCN classification. Read more

Links

Species selection tool
Other vegetation types
//vegetationmap4africa.org
Documentation

Citation and terms of use

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