Mpanga/Kipengere Game Reserve - Frontier-publications.co.uk

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Mpanga / Kipengere Game Reserve; A Biodiversity Survey Evidence of hunting was found in snares set for duiker, bushpig , Scrub hares and ‘Mole rats’ on rocky hilltop outcrops and by remains of Suni bones. Poachers camps were observed, one in the valley and two in the highland area of the Lugala range. These latter two were well equipped with cooking pots, firewood store and bedding of grass within a small cave, indicating the recent use of this area for traps and burning to flush out large mammals. Frontier Tanzania Environmental Research Report 99 15
Mpanga / Kipengere Game Reserve; A Biodiversity Survey 5. DISCUSSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS 5.1 Flora An interesting and varied flora was recorded across the two main habitats of the Mpanga/Kipengere Game Reserve; mid-altitude miombo woodland and afro-montane forest-grassland mosaic (Table 6). Table 6 A summary of floral diversity recorded throughout the Mpanga/Kipengere Game Reserve. Taxa Miombo woodland * Forest-grassland mosaic Total ** Number of families Number of species Number of families Number of species Number of families Number of species Trees and 41 133 45 89 63 213 shrubs Herbs and 17 33 24 61 31 91 grasses Ferns 2 2 4 4 4 5 Total 60 166 73 150 98 309 * The figures given for miombo woodland include those for the patches of riverine woodland found within that habitat ** The total figures represent the number of species recorded throughout both miombo woodland and forest-grassland habitats, they do not simply add the number of species found in both habitats as some repetition or overlap in species was noted The diversity of trees and shrubs is greatest within the miombo woodlands of the reserve, however the number of both herb and grass species is much greater in the afro-montane forest grassland mosaic. Simple species diversity does not however reflect the biological or conservation interest of the species involved, as this is anticipated to be greater within the forest-grassland mosaic. Mid-altitude miombo woodland is widespread, covering large areas of Tanzania and beyond, and is well studied. The afro-montane forestgrassland mosaic on the other hand, has a very small coverage, ranging only across Tanzania’s Southern Highlands. The forest-grassland mosaic forms the WWF-designated Eco-region 76, designated a conservation status of Critical/Endangered. Southern and eastern African flora (and fauna) converges in the Southern Highlands and over 120 plant and animal taxa are endemic to the area. Two near-endemic plants were recorded within the reserve, a woodland shrub, Barleria nyasensis, and a grassland herb, Eriosema ukingense. Both of these species are restricted to the mountains at the north end of Lake Nyasa, including the Nyika plateau of Malawi and Zambia. • Mid-altitude miombo woodland A high variety of tree, shrub, herb and grass species were recorded within the miombo woodlands and riverine woodlands of the reserve. The latter habitat covers only a limited area however it is of great importance to the species found there and depends heavily on reliable water supplies. Species of particular interest are those which are currently considered to be threatened by human activities. Pterocarpus angolensis and Afzelia quanzensis are exploited locally for timber and a number of pitsaws were found within the woodlands of the reserve. Brachystegia boehmii, Brachystegia spiciformis, Combretum schumannii and Terminalia sericea are species favoured for the production of charcoal and a number of charcoal burning sites were found, along with large amounts of cutting in certain areas (Section 4.1.3 and 5.3). Due to the temporary settlements of the Wamang’ati from Shinyanga and Mbeya, who have moved into the reserve with their cattle, several miombo woodland species are being damaged. These include: Brachystegia spp., Acacia drepanolobium, Acacia nilotica, Acacia nigrescens and Acacia polyacantha. • Afro-montane forest-grassland mosaic The mosaic is a botanically rich mixture of open grasslands, closed-canopy forests and small patches of bamboo forest. The latter is a particularly rare sub-habitat within an already restricted and threatened major-habitat. Grasslands in the mosaic have been destroyed across the Southern Highlands for plantations of exotic trees such as wattle (Acacis sp.) and pine (Pinus sp.); for commercial and local farming for maize and wheat schemes; pyrethrum; Irish potatoes (Solanum tuberosum), peas and groundnuts; and through general pressures from an increasing local human population. Livestock grazing will also effect the floristic Frontier Tanzania Environmental Research Report 99 16
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Mpanga/Kipengere Game Reserve - Frontier-publications.co.uk

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