The South Malawi montane forest-grassland mosaic is a montane grasslands and shrublands ecoregion of Tanzania, Malawi, Mozambique, and Zambia.
The ecoregion encompasses several high mountains and plateaus north and east of Lake Malawi."Southern Rift montane forest-grassland mosaic". World Wildlife Fund ecoregion profile. Accessed 1 September 2019.
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."Southern Rift montane forest-grassland mosaic". World Wildlife Fund ecoregion profile. Accessed 5 September 2019.
Flora The predominant plant communities include montane grasslands, shrublands, and evergreen forests.
Fauna Near-endemic mammals include the Black and red bush squirrel (Paraxerus lucifer), Swynnerton's bush squirrel (Paraxerus vexillarius), Greater hamster-rat (Beamys major), Grant's bushbaby (Galagoides granti), Desperate shrew (Crocidura desperata),"Southern Rift montane forest-grassland mosaic". World Wildlife Fund ecoregion profile. Accessed 2 September 2019. and Tanzanian vlei rat (Otomys lacustris)Ara Monadjem, Peter J. Taylor, Christiane Denys, Fenton P.D. Cotterill (2015). "Rodents of Sub-Saharan Africa: A biogeographic and taxonomic synthesis." Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co KG, 2015. pg. 900
The Rungwe dwarf galago, a newly-identified species in genus Galagoides, is found on Mount Rungwe 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.Charles Foley, Lara Foley, Alex Lobora, Daniela De Luca, Maurus Msuha, Tim R.B. Davenport, Sarah M. Durant (2014). "A Field Guide to the Larger Mammals of Tanzania". Princeton University Press, 2014.
Protected areas Protected areas in the ecoregion include: On Tanzania's Ufipa Plateau, the Mbizi Forest Reserve north of Sumbawanga.Tim R. B. Davenport, Noah E. Mpunga, and Sophy J. Machaga "Census and Conservation Assessment of the Red Colobus (Procolobus Rufomitratus Tephrosceles) on the Ufipa Plateau, Southwest Tanzania: Newly-Discovered, Threatened and Extinct Populations," Primate Conservation 22(1), 97-105, (1 January 2007). https://doi.org/10.1896/052.022.0108 In the Kipengere Range, Kitulo National Park, 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.BirdLife International (2019) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Livingstone Mountains forests. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 06/09/2019. In Tanzania's Umalila Mountains, the Umalila Catchment Forest Reserve, Mpara Catchment Forest Reserve, Kyosa Forest Reserve, Msimwa Forest Reserve, and Iyondo Forest Reserve.BirdLife International (2019) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Umalila Mountains. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 02/09/2019. Matengo Highlands 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 in Malawi, and Nyika National Park in Zambia. In the Viphya Mountains, various forest reserves including Uzumara and South Viphya. Chipata Mountain in Nkhotakota Wildlife Reserve. Ntchisi Mountain Forest Reserve on Ntchisi MountainBirdLife International (2019) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Ntchisi Mountain Forest Reserve. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 01/09/2019. 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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