Madagascar ericoid thickets
| Madagascar ericoid thickets | |
|---|---|
Subtropical highland (Cwb) | |
| Soil types | thin, nutrient-poor |
| Conservation | |
| Conservation status | critical/endangered |
| Global 200 | not included |
| Protected | 32.1%[1] |
The Madagascar ericoid thickets is a montane shrubland ecoregion, found at higher altitudes on Madagascar's four major mountains.
Geography
The ecoregion covers the area above 1800 m elevation on (from north to south)
Flora
The main plant community is thickets. The thickets are composed of evergreen woody shrubs and low trees, which form a single, often impenetrable stratum never more than 6 meters tall. The shrubs and trees typically have an ericoid habit, with short, twisted stems and ericoid, cupressoid, or myrtilloid leaves.[3]
Characteristic shrubs of the ericoid thickets are from the plant families
The thickets are home a large number of endemic plants, many of whose closest relatives live in
In much of the ecoregion, secondary grassland, established by regular livestock grazing and burning, has almost entirely replaced the original thicket vegetation. The most common grasses on Ankaratra's secondary grasslands are Pentameris natalensis, P. humbertii, Andropogon trichozygus, Anthoxanthum madagascariense, Digitaria ankaratrensis, Agrostis elliotii, Merxmuellera macowanii, Brachypodium perrieri, Poa madecassa, P. ankaratrensis, and Festuca camusiana. Secondary grassland species are also found in mountain bogs.[3]
Fauna
These high points of Madagascar are home to less diverse animal life than on the lower slopes, but with a high proportion of endemics. The area was not thoroughly researched until the 1990s. There are at least ten species of endemic and near-endemic reptiles including the dwarf gecko
Threats and preservation
The thickets are vulnerable to fire, and many have been converted to cattle pasture. The widespread conversion of thickets to secondary grasslands may be relatively recent. In 1777 Ankaratra was reported covered with forest. Until the end of the 19th century Andringitra's thickets were a refuge from trouble for local people and their flocks. Ankaratra's and Andringitra's thickets were mostly converted to pasture in the 20th century.[3]
Andringitra, Tsaratanana, and Marojejy are all protected areas, and Andringitra's thickets have partially recovered since it was protected.[2][3]
32.1% of the ecoregion is in protected areas. Protected areas include
See also
References
- ^ a b Madagascar ericoid thickets, DOPA Exlorer. Accessed 28 August 2022.
- ^ ISBN 978-1559633642. Archived from the original(PDF) on 2016-11-01.
- ^ a b c d e f White, Frank F. (1983). The vegetation of Africa: A descriptive memoir to accompany the Unesco/AETFAT/UNSO vegetation map of Africa. UNESCO, 1983. ISBN 92-3-101955-4
External links
- World Wildlife Fund, ed. (2001). "Madagascar ericoid thickets". WildWorld Ecoregion Profile. National Geographic Society. Archived from the original on 2010-03-08.
- "Madagascar ericoid thickets". Terrestrial Ecoregions. World Wildlife Fund.