Afrotropical realm




One of the Earth's eight biogeographic realms



The Afrotropical realm, marked in blue


See Tropical Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa for other aspects.

The Afrotropical realm is one of the Earth's eight biogeographic realms. It includes Africa south of the Sahara Desert, the southern and eastern fringes of the Arabian Peninsula, the island of Madagascar, southern Iran and extreme southwestern Pakistan, and the islands of the western Indian Ocean. It was formerly known as the Ethiopian Zone or Ethiopian Region.




Contents






  • 1 Major ecological regions


    • 1.1 Sahel and Sudan


    • 1.2 Southern Arabian woodlands


    • 1.3 Forest zone


    • 1.4 East African grasslands and savannas


    • 1.5 Eastern Africa's highlands


    • 1.6 Southern African woodlands, savannas, and grasslands


    • 1.7 Deserts of southern Africa


    • 1.8 Cape floristic region


    • 1.9 Madagascar and the Indian Ocean islands




  • 2 Endemic plants and animals


    • 2.1 Plants


    • 2.2 Animals




  • 3 Afrotropic Terrestrial Ecoregions


  • 4 See also


  • 5 References


  • 6 External links


  • 7 Bibliography





Major ecological regions


Most of the Afrotropic, with the exception of Africa's southern tip, has a tropical climate. A broad belt of deserts, including the Atlantic and Sahara deserts of northern Africa and the Arabian Desert of the Arabian Peninsula, separate the Afrotropic from the Palearctic realm, which includes northern Africa and temperate Eurasia.



Sahel and Sudan


South of the Sahara, two belts of tropical grassland and savanna run east and west across the continent, from the Atlantic Ocean to the Ethiopian Highlands. Immediately south of the Sahara lies the Sahel belt, a transitional zone of semi-arid short grassland and acacia savanna. Rainfall increases further south in the Sudanian Savanna, also known simply as the Sudan, a belt of taller grasslands and savannas. The Sudanian Savanna is home to two great flooded grasslands, the Sudd wetland in South Sudan, and the Niger Inland Delta in Mali. The forest-savanna mosaic is a transitional zone between the grasslands and the belt of tropical moist broadleaf forests near the equator.



Southern Arabian woodlands


South Arabia, expressed as being mostly Yemen and parts of western Oman and southwestern Saudi Arabia, has few permanent forests. Some of the notable are Jabal Bura', Jabal Raymah, and Jabal Badaj in the Yemeni highland escarpment, and the seasonal forests in eastern Yemen and the Dhofar region of Oman. Other woodlands scatter the land and are very small and are predominantly juniper or acacia forests.



Forest zone


The forest zone, a belt of lowland tropical moist broadleaf forests, runs across most of equatorial Africa's intertropical convergence zone. The Upper Guinean forests of West Africa extend along the coast from Guinea to Togo. The Dahomey Gap, a zone of forest-savanna mosaic that reaches to the coast, separates the Upper Guinean forests from the Lower Guinean forests, which extend along the Gulf of Guinea from eastern Benin through Cameroon and Gabon to the western Democratic Republic of the Congo. The largest tropical forest zone in Africa is the Congolian forests of the Congo Basin in Central Africa. A belt of tropical moist broadleaf forest also runs along the Indian Ocean coast, from southern Somalia to South Africa.



East African grasslands and savannas




  • Acacia-Commiphora grasslands

  • Serengeti



Eastern Africa's highlands


Afromontane region, from the Ethiopian Highlands to the Drakensberg Mountains of South Africa, including the East African Rift. Distinctive flora, including Podocarpus and Afrocarpus, as well as giant Lobelias and Senecios.



  • Ethiopian Highlands

  • Albertine rift montane forests


  • East African montane forests and Eastern Arc forests



Southern African woodlands, savannas, and grasslands




Southern Africa as described in Plant Taxonomic Database Standards No. 2



  • Miombo woodlands

  • Zambezian mopane and Baikiaea woodlands

  • Bushveld



Deserts of southern Africa



  • Namib Desert

  • Kalahari Desert

  • Karoo

  • Tankwa Karoo

  • Richtersveld



Cape floristic region


The Cape floristic region, at Africa's southern tip, is a Mediterranean climate region that is home to a significant number of endemic taxa, as well as to plant families like the proteas (Proteaceae) that are also found in the Australasian realm.



Madagascar and the Indian Ocean islands



Madagascar and neighboring islands form a distinctive sub-region of the realm, with numerous endemic taxa like the lemurs. Madagascar and the Seychelles are old pieces of the ancient supercontinent of Gondwana, and broke away from Africa millions of years ago. Other Indian Ocean islands, like the Comoros and Mascarene Islands, are volcanic islands that formed more recently. Madagascar contains several important biospheres, as its biodiversity and ratio of endemicism is extremely high.



Endemic plants and animals



Plants


The Afrotropical realm is home to a number of endemic plant families. Madagascar and the Indian Ocean Islands are home to ten endemic families of flowering plants; eight are endemic to Madagascar (Asteropeiaceae, Didymelaceae, Didiereaceae, Kaliphoraceae, Melanophyllaceae, Physenaceae, Sarcolaenaceae, and Sphaerosepalaceae), one to Seychelles (Mesdusagynaceae) and one to the Mascarene Islands (Psiloxylaceae). Twelve plant families are endemic or nearly endemic to South Africa (including Curtisiaceae, Heteropyxidaceae, Penaeaceae, Psiloxylaceae and Rhynchocalycaceae) of which five are endemic to the Cape floristic province (including Grubbiaceae). Other endemic Afrotropic families include Barbeyaceae, Montiniaceae, Myrothamnaceae and Oliniaceae.



Animals



The East African Great Lakes (Victoria, Malawi, and Tanganyika) are the center of biodiversity of many freshwater fishes, especially cichlids (they harbor more than two-thirds of the estimated 2,000 species in the family).[1] The West African coastal rivers region covers only a fraction of West Africa, but harbours 322 of West African's fish species, with 247 restricted to this area and 129 restricted even
to smaller ranges. The central rivers fauna comprises 194 fish species, with 119 endemics and only 33 restricted to small areas.[2]


The Afrotropic has various endemic bird families, including ostriches (Struthionidae), sunbirds, the secretary bird (Sagittariidae), guineafowl (Numididae), and mousebirds (Coliidae). Also, several families of passerines are limited to the Afrotropics; These include rock-jumpers (Chaetopidae) and rockfowl (Picathartidae).


Africa has three endemic orders of mammals, the Tubulidentata (aardvarks), Afrosoricida (tenrecs and golden moles), and Macroscelidea (elephant shrews). The East-African plains are well known for their diversity of large mammals.


Four species of great apes (Hominidae) are endemic to Africa: both species of gorilla (western gorilla, Gorilla gorilla, and eastern gorilla, Gorilla beringei) and both species of chimpanzee (common chimpanzee, Pan troglodytes, and bonobo, Pan paniscus). Humans and their ancestors originated in Africa.



Afrotropic Terrestrial Ecoregions






























































































































Afrotropic Tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests


Albertine Rift montane forests

Democratic Republic of the Congo, Burundi, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda

Atlantic Equatorial coastal forests

Angola, Cameroon, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon

Cameroonian Highlands forests

Cameroon, Nigeria

Central Congolian lowland forests

Democratic Republic of the Congo

Comoros forests

Comoros

Cross-Niger transition forests

Nigeria

Cross-Sanaga-Bioko coastal forests

Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Nigeria

East African montane forests

Kenya, South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda

Eastern Arc forests

Tanzania, Kenya

Eastern Congolian swamp forests

Democratic Republic of the Congo

Eastern Guinean forests

Benin, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Togo

Ethiopian montane forests

Eritrea, Ethiopia, Somalia, Sudan

Granitic Seychelles forests

Seychelles

Guinean montane forests

Guinea, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Sierra Leone

Knysna-Amatole montane forests

South Africa

KwaZulu-Cape coastal forest mosaic

South Africa

Madagascar lowland forests

Madagascar

Madagascar subhumid forests

Madagascar

Maputaland coastal forest mosaic

Eswatini (Swaziland), Mozambique, South Africa

Mascarene forests

Mauritius, Réunion

Mount Cameroon and Bioko montane forests

Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea

Niger Delta swamp forests

Nigeria

Nigerian lowland forests

Benin, Nigeria

Northeastern Congolian lowland forests

Cameroon, Central African Republic, Gabon, Republic of the Congo

Northern Zanzibar-Inhambane coastal forest mosaic

Kenya, Somalia, Tanzania

Northwestern Congolian lowland forests

Cameroon, Central African Republic, Gabon, Republic of the Congo

São Tomé, Príncipe, and Annobón moist lowland forests

Equatorial Guinea, São Tomé and Príncipe

Southern Zanzibar-Inhambane coastal forest mosaic

Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania, Zimbabwe

Western Congolian swamp forests

Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo

Western Guinean lowland forests

Guinea, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Sierra Leone

















Afrotropic Tropical and subtropical dry broadleaf forests


Cape Verde Islands dry forests

Cape Verde

Madagascar dry deciduous forests

Madagascar

Zambezian Cryptosepalum dry forests

Zambia, Angola













































































































Afrotropic Tropical and subtropical grasslands, savannas, and shrublands


Angolan Miombo woodlands

Angola

Angolan Mopane woodlands

Angola, Namibia

Ascension scrub and grasslands

Ascension Island

Central Zambezian Miombo woodlands

Angola, Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Malawi, Tanzania, Zambia

East Sudanian savanna

Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Eritrea, Ethiopia South Sudan, Sudan, Uganda

Eastern Miombo woodlands

Mozambique, Tanzania

Guinean forest-savanna mosaic

Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Ivory Coast, Nigeria, Senegal, Togo

Itigi-Sumbu thicket

Tanzania, Zambia

Kalahari Acacia-Baikiaea woodlands

Botswana, Namibia, South Africa, Zimbabwe

Mandara Plateau mosaic

Cameroon, Nigeria

Northern Acacia-Commiphora bushlands and thickets

Ethiopia, Kenya, South Sudan, Uganda

Northern Congolian forest-savanna mosaic

Cameroon, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo, South Sudan, Uganda

Sahelian Acacia savanna

Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, South Sudan, Sudan

Serengeti

Kenya, Tanzania

Somali Acacia-Commiphora bushlands and thickets

Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia

Southern Acacia-Commiphora bushlands and thickets

Kenya, Tanzania

Southern Africa bushveld

Botswana, South Africa, Zimbabwe

Southern Congolian forest-savanna mosaic

Angola, Democratic Republic of the Congo

Southern Miombo woodlands

Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia, Zimbabwe

Saint Helena scrub and woodlands

Saint Helena

Victoria Basin forest-savanna mosaic

Burundi, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda

West Sudanian savanna

Benin, Burkina Faso, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Ivory Coast, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal

Western Congolian forest-savanna mosaic

Angola, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo

Western Zambezian grasslands

Angola, Zambia

Zambezian and Mopane woodlands

Botswana, Eswatini (Swaziland), Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe

Zambezian Baikiaea woodlands

Angola, Botswana, Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe

















Afrotropic Temperate grasslands, savannas, and shrublands


Al Hajar Al Gharbi montane woodlands

Oman

Amsterdam and Saint-Paul Islands temperate grasslands

Amsterdam Island, Saint-Paul Island

Tristan da Cunha-Gough Islands shrub and grasslands

Tristan da Cunha, Gough Island





































Afrotropic Flooded grasslands and savannas


East African halophytics

Kenya, Tanzania

Etosha Pan halophytics

Namibia

Inner Niger Delta flooded savanna

Mali

Lake Chad flooded savanna

Cameroon, Chad, Nigeria

Saharan flooded grasslands

South Sudan

Zambezian coastal flooded savanna

Mozambique

Zambezian flooded grasslands

Angola, Botswana, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania, Zambia

Zambezian halophytics

Botswana

































































Afrotropic Montane grasslands and shrublands


Angolan montane forest-grassland mosaic

Angola

Angolan Scarp savanna and woodlands

Angola

Drakensberg alti-montane grasslands and woodlands

Lesotho, South Africa

Drakensberg montane grasslands, woodlands and forests

Lesotho, South Africa, Eswatini (Swaziland)

East African montane moorlands

Kenya, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda

Eastern Zimbabwe montane forest-grassland mosaic

Mozambique, Zimbabwe

Ethiopian montane grasslands and woodlands

Ethiopia, Sudan

Ethiopian montane moorlands

Ethiopia, Sudan

Highveld grasslands

Lesotho, South Africa

Jos Plateau forest-grassland mosaic

Nigeria

Madagascar ericoid thickets

Madagascar

Maputaland-Pondoland bushland and thickets

Mozambique, South Africa, Eswatini (Swaziland)

Ruwenzori-Virunga montane moorlands

Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, Uganda

South Malawi montane forest-grassland mosaic

Malawi, Mozambique

Southern Rift montane forest-grassland mosaic

Malawi, Tanzania

















Afrotropic Mediterranean forests, woodlands, and scrub


Albany thickets

South Africa

Lowland fynbos and renosterveld

South Africa

Montane fynbos and renosterveld

South Africa





























































































Afrotropic Deserts and xeric shrublands


Aldabra Island xeric scrub

Seychelles

Arabian Peninsula coastal fog desert

Oman, Saudi Arabia, Yemen

East Saharan montane xeric woodlands

Chad, Sudan

Eritrean coastal desert

Djibouti, Eritrea

Ethiopian xeric grasslands and shrublands

Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Somalia, Sudan

Gulf of Oman desert and semi-desert

Oman, United Arab Emirates

Hobyo grasslands and shrublands

Somalia

Ile Europa and Bassas da India xeric scrub

Bassas da India, Europa

Kalahari xeric savanna

Botswana, Namibia, South Africa

Kaokoveld desert

Angola, Namibia

Madagascar spiny thickets

Madagascar

Madagascar succulent woodlands

Madagascar

Masai xeric grasslands and shrublands

Ethiopia, Kenya

Nama Karoo

Namibia, South Africa

Namib desert

Namibia

Namibian savanna woodlands

Namibia

Red Sea coastal desert

Egypt, Sudan

Socotra Island xeric shrublands

Yemen

Somali montane xeric woodlands

Somalia

Southwestern Arabian foothills savanna

Oman, Saudi Arabia, Yemen

Southwestern Arabian montane woodlands

Saudi Arabia, Yemen

Succulent Karoo

South Africa

























Afrotropic Mangrove


Central African mangroves

Angola, Cameroon, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Ghana, Niger Delta

East African mangroves

Kenya, Mozambique, Tanzania

Guinean mangroves

Senegal, Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ivory Coast

Madagascar mangroves

Madagascar

Southern Africa mangroves

Mozambique, South Africa



See also


  • Global 200


References





  1. ^ I.P.Farias et al., Total Evidence: Molecules, Morphology, and the Phylogenetics of Cichlid Fishes, Journal of Experimental Zoology (Mol Dev Evol) 288:76–92 (2000)


  2. ^ T.Moritz and K. E. Linsenmair, West African fish diversity – distribution patterns and possible conclusions for conservation strategies (in African Biodiversity: Molecules, Organisms, Ecosystems, Springer, 2001)




External links







  • Map of the ecozones


  • African Invertebrates — A journal of Afrotropical biodiversity research

  • Manual of Afrotropical Diptera



Bibliography



  • Burgess, N., J.D. Hales, E. Underwood, and E. Dinerstein (2004). Terrestrial Ecoregions of Africa and Madagascar: A Conservation Assessment. Island Press, Washington, D.C., [1].

  • Thieme, M.L., R. Abell, M.L.J. Stiassny, P. Skelton, B. Lehner, G.G. Teugels, E. Dinerstein, A.K. Toham, N. Burgess & D. Olson. 2005. Freshwater ecoregions of Africa and Madagascar: A conservation assessment. Washington DC: WWF, [2].




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