The Afromontane regions are subregions of the
Afrotropical realm, one of the Earth's eight
biogeographic realms, covering the plant and animal species found in the mountains of
Africa and the southern
Arabian Peninsula. The Afromontane regions of Africa are discontinuous, separated from each other by lower-lying areas, and are sometimes referred to as the Afromontane archipelago, as their distribution is analogous to a series of
sky islands.
Geography
Afromontane communities occur above 1,500–2,000 metres (4,900–6,600 ft) elevation near the equator, and as low as 300 metres (980 ft) elevation in the
Knysna-Amatole montane forests of
South Africa. Afromontane forests are generally cooler and more humid than the surrounding lowlands.
Although some Afromontane enclaves are widely separated, they share a similar mix of plant species which are often distinct from the surrounding lowland regions.[1]Podocarps, of genera Podocarpus and Afrocarpus, are a characteristic tree, along with Prunus africana, Hagenia abyssinica, Juniperus procera, and Olea spp.. In the higher mountains, the Afromontane forest or woodland zone transitions to a higher Afroalpine zone of grasslands, shrublands, or moorlands.[2][3]
In
South Africa, Afromontane forests cover only 0.5% of the country's land area. The Afromontane forests occur along the mountainous arc of the
Drakensberg Range, from
Limpopo Province in the northeast to the
Western Cape Province in the southwest. The Afromontane forests generally occur in well-watered areas, including ravines and south-facing slopes. The Afromontane forests are intolerant of fire, and the frequent fires of the surrounding
fynbos,
savanna, and
grassland limit the expansion of the forests. Despite their small area, the Afromontane forests of South Africa produce valuable timber, particularly the
real yellowwood(Podocarpus latifolius),
Outeniqua yellowwood(Afrocarpus falcatus), and
stinkwood(Ocotea bullata).
^
abcWhite, F.; Unesco; Association pour l'étude taxonomique de la flore d'Afrique tropicale; United Nations Sudano-Sahelian Office (1983). Vegetation of Africa : a descriptive memoir to accompany the Unesco/AETFAT/UNSO vegetation map of Africa. Paris: Unesco.
ISBN92-3-101955-4.
OCLC10387142.