Have a personal or library account? Click to login
Community structure and drivers of wet miombo woodlands in the Eastern Afromontane biodiversity hotspot Cover

Community structure and drivers of wet miombo woodlands in the Eastern Afromontane biodiversity hotspot

Open Access
|Jul 2025

References

  1. Andrew, S.M., 2023. Woody plant assemblages of recently declared village land forest reserve in the Eastern Afromontane biodiversity hotspot. Tanzania Journal of Science, 49 (5): 1011–1027. https://doi.org/10.4314/tjs.v49i5.7
  2. Andrew, S.M., Nyanghura, Q.M., Mombo, F.M., 2023. Land cover change and utilization of village land forest reserves in Ludewa, Tanzania. Environmental Challenges, 10: 100668. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envc.2022.100668
  3. Appiagyei, B.D., Belhoucine-Guezouli, L., Bessah, E., Morsli, B., 2023. The changing land use and land cover in the Mediterranean Basin: implications on forest eco-system services. Folia Oecologica, 50 (1): 60–71. https://doi.org/10.2478/foecol-2023-0005
  4. Assédé, E.S.P., Azihou, A.F., Geldenhuys, C.J., Chirwa, P.W., Biaou, S.S.H., 2020. Sudanian versus Zambezian woodlands of Africa: composition, ecology, biogeography and use. Acta Oecologica, 107: 103599. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actao.2020.103599
  5. Barna, M., Mihál, I., 2024. Indicators of restoration in beech stands after air pollution: trees and macromycetes. Folia Oecologica, 51 (2): 185–195. https://doi.org/10.2478/foecol-2024-0018
  6. Bulenga, G.B., Maliondo, S.M.S., Katani, J.Z., 2021. Relationships between tree species diversity with soil chemical properties in semi-dry miombo woodland ecosystems. Tanzania Journal of Forestry and Nature Conservation, 90 (2): 1–17.
  7. Campbell, B.M. (ed.), 1996. The Miombo in transition: woodlands and welfare in Africa. Bogor, Indonesia: Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR). 266 p.
  8. Chidumayo, E.N., 1997. Miombo ecology and management: an introduction. London: Intermediate Technology Publications (ITP) in association with the Stockholm Environment Institute. 166 p.
  9. Crawley, M.J., 2012. The R book: John Wiley & Sons.
  10. Dziba, L., Ramoelo, A., Ryan, C., Harrison, S., Pritchard, R., Tripathi, H., Sitas, N., Selomane, O., Engelbrecht, F., Pereira, L., Katerere, Y., Chirwa, P.W., Ribeiro, N.S., Grundy, I.M., 2020. Scenarios for just and sustainable futures in the miombo woodlands. In Ribeiro, N.S., Katerere, Y., Chirwa, P.W., Grundy, I.M. (eds). Miombo woodlands in a changing environment: securing the resilience and sustainability of people and woodlands. Cham, Switzerland: Springer, p. 191– 234.
  11. Gumbo, D., Clendenning, J., Martius, C., Moombe, K., Grundy, I., Nasi, R., Mumba, K.Y., Ribeiro N., Kabwe, G, Petrokofsky, G., 2018. How have carbon stocks in central and southern Africa’s miombo woodlands changed over the last 50 years? A systematic map of the evidence. Environmental Evidence, 7: 16. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13750-018-0128-0
  12. Haule, C., Mlozi, M., Mulengera, M., 2013. Land degradation and smallholder farmers’ response: a case of villages in the southern parts of Ludewa District, Iringa Region. Tanzania Journal of Agricultural Sciences, 12 (1): 11–21.
  13. IPBES (Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services), 2020. IPBES Glossary online. [cit. 2022-08-02]. https://ipbes.net/glossary?combine=&page=1
  14. Jew, E.K., Dougill, A.J., Sallu, S.M., O’Connell, J., Benton, T.G., 2016. Miombo woodland under threat: consequences for tree diversity and carbon storage. Forest Ecology and Management, 361: 144–153. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2015.11.011
  15. Kalaba, F.K., Quinn, C.H., Dougill, A.J., Vinya, R., 2013. Floristic composition, species diversity and carbon storage in charcoal and agriculture fallows and management implications in Miombo woodlands of Zambia. Forest Ecology and Management, 304: 99–109. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2013.04.024
  16. Katani, J.Z., Mustalahti, K.I., Mukama, K., Zahabu, E., 2016. Participatory forest carbon assessment in southeastern Tanzania: experiences, costs and implications for REDD+ initiatives. Oryx, 50: 523–532. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0030605315000174.
  17. Kumar, J.I., Kumar R.N., Bhoi, R.K., Sajish, P.R., 2010. Tree species diversity and soil nutrient status in three sites of tropical dry deciduous forest of western India. Tropical Ecology, 51 (2): 273–279.
  18. Krebs, C.J., 1989. Ecological methodology. New York, USA: Harper Collins Publishers. 654 p.
  19. Ludewa District Council, 2019. Management plan for In-take village land forest reserve in Ludewa, Tanzania. 2019/2020 – 2023/2024.
  20. Magurran, A.E., Mcgill, B.J., 2011. Biological diversity: frontiers in measurement and assessment. Oxford: Oxford University Press. 335 p.
  21. Mangora, M.M., 2005. Ecological impact of tobacco farming in miombo woodlands of Urambo District, Tanzania. African Journal of Ecology, 43 (4): 385–391. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2028.2005.00603.x
  22. Malmer, A., 2007. General ecological features of miombo woodlands and considerations for utilization and management. Working Papers of the Finnish Forest Research Institute, 50: 34–42.
  23. Mbuya, L.P., Msanga, H.P., Ruffo, C.K., Birnie, A., Tengnas, B.O., 1994. Useful trees and shrubs for Tanzania Nairobi, Kenya. Swedish International Development Authority. 542 p.
  24. Montfort, F., Nourtier, M., Grinand, C., Maneau, S., Mercier, C., Roelens, J.B., Blanc, L., 2021. Regeneration capacities of woody speies biodiversity and soil properties in Miombo woodland after slash-and-burn agriculture in Mozambique. Forest Ecology and Management, 488: 119039. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2021.119039
  25. MNRT (Ministry of Natural Resource and Tourism), 2007. Community based forest management guidelines for the establishment of Village and Forest Reserves and Community Forest Reserves. Dar es Saalam, Tanzania: Forestry and Beekeeping Division. Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism. 47 p.
  26. MNRT (Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism), 2010. National Forest Resources Monitoring and Assessment (NAFORMA) Field Manual for biophysical survey. Dar es Saalam, Tanzania: Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism.
  27. Mwakalukwa, E.E., Andrew, S.M., 2024. Structure, regeneration and carbon stocks of woody plants in the Lit-wang’ata village land forest reserve, Southwest Tanzania. Folia Oecologica, 51 (1): 29–38. https://doi.org/10.2478/foecol-2024-0003
  28. Mwakalukwa, E.E., Meilby, H., Treue, T., 2014. Floristic composition, structure, species associations of dry Miombo woodland in Tanzania. International Scholarly Research Notices Biodiversity, 2014: 153278. https://doi.org/10.1155/2014/153278.
  29. Mwampashi, Y.P., 2013. Woodland structure, basic density and above ground carbon stock estimations of wet miombo woodlands in Mbozi district Tanzania. MSc Forestry thesis. Sokoine University of Agriculture, Morogoro, Tanzania.
  30. Njoghomi, E.E., Valkonen, S., Karlsson, K., Saarinen, M., Mugasha, W.A., Niemistö, P., Balama, C., Malimbwi, R.E., 2021. Regeneration dynamics and structural changes in miombo woodland stands at Kitulangalo Forest Reserve in Tanzania. Journal of Sustainable Forestry, 40 (6): 539–557. https://doi.org/10.1080/10549811.2020.1789478
  31. Nyamoga, G.Z., Solberg, B., 2019. A review of studies related to charcoal production, consumption, and greenhouse gas emissions in Tanzania. In Bamutaze, Y., Kyamanywa, S., Singh, B., Nabanoga, G., Lal, R. (eds). Agriculture and ecosystem resilience in Sub Saharan Africa. Climate Change Management. Cham: Springer, p. 357–398. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-12974-3_17
  32. Nyanghura, Q.M., 2017. Biodiversity (birds and mammals) assessment report for six un-protected forests of Nkomang'ombe, Mawengi, Mvava, Masimavalafu, Kimelembe and Iwela in Ludewa, Tanzania. Dar es Salaam: Critical Ecosystems Partnership Fund. 70 p.
  33. Økland, R.H., Rydgren, K., Økland, T., 2003. Plant species composition of boreal spruce swamp forests: closed doors and windows of opportunity. Ecology, 84: 1909– 1919. https://doi.org/10.1890/0019658(2003)084 [1909:PSCOBS]2.0.CO;2.
  34. Oksanen, J.F., Blanchet, G., Kindt, R., Legendre, P., Minchin, P.R., O’Hara, R.B., Simpson G.L., Solymos, P., Stevens, M.H.H., Wagner, H., 2013. Vegan: community ecology package. R package version 2.0-10. [cit. 2025-09-27]. http://CRAN.R-project.org/package=vegan
  35. Pielou, E.C., 1975. Ecological diversity. New York: Wiley. 165 p.
  36. R Core Team, 2022. R: a language and environment for statistical computing. Vienna, Austria: R Foundation for Statistical Computing.
  37. Ribeiro, N.S., Katerere, Y., Chirwa, P.W., Grundy, I.M. (eds), 2020. Miombo woodlands in a changing environment: securing the resilience and sustainability of people and woodlands. Cham, Switzerland: Springer. 245 p.
  38. Riesch, F., Stroh, H.G., Tonn, B., Isselstein, J., 2018. Soil pH and phosphorus drive species composition and richness in semi-natural heathlands and grasslands unaffected by twentieth-century agricultural intensification. Plant Ecology and Diversity, 11 (2): 239–253. https://doi.org/10.1080/17550874.2018.1471627
  39. Ryan, C.M., Pritchard, R., McNicol, I., Owen, M., Fisher, J.A., Lehmann, C., 2016. Ecosystem services from Southern African woodlands and their future under global change. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B, 371: 20150312. https://doi.org/10.1098/rstb.2015.0312
  40. Shirima, D.D., Munishi, P.K.T., Lewis, S.L., Burgess, N.D., Marshall, A.R., Balmford, A., Swetnam, R.D., Zahabu, E.M., 2011. Carbon storage, structure and composition of Miombo woodlands in Tanzania’s Eastern Arc Mountains. African Journal of Ecology, 49: 332– 342. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2028.2011.01269.x
  41. Smith, P., Allen, Q., 2004. Field guide to the trees and shrubs of the Miombo woodlands. Richmond, UK: Royal Botanic Gardens.
  42. Syampungani, S., Chirwa, P.W., Geldenhuys, C.J., Handavu, F., Chishaleshale, M., Rija, A.A., Mbanze, A.A., Ribeiro, N.S., 2020. Managing Miombo: ecological and silvicultural options for sustainable socio-economic benefits. In Ribeiro, N.S., Katerere, Y., Chirwa, P.W., Grundy, I.M. (eds). Miombo woodlands in a changing environment: securing the resilience and sustainability of people and woodlands. Cham, Switzerland: Springer, p. 101–137.
  43. Syampungani, S., Geldenhuys, C., Chirwa, P., 2015. Regeneration dynamics of miombo woodland in response to different anthropogenic disturbances: forest characterisation for sustainable management. Agroforestry Systems, 90: 563–576. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10457-015-9841-7
  44. The United Republic of Tanzania (URT), 2022. Ministry of Finance and Planning, Tanzania National Bureau of Statistics and President’s Office – Finance and Planning, Office of the Chief Government Statistician, Zanzibar. The 2022 Population and Housing Census: Administra- tive Units Population Distribution Report. Tanzania Mainland, December 2022.
  45. Timberlake, J., Chidumayo, E.N., 2011. Miombo Ecoregion Vision Report. Occasional Publications in Biodiversity, No. 20. WWF SARPO. 79 p.
  46. Vyamana, V.G., Andrew, S.M., Chamshama, S.A.O., 2023. Integration of indigenous agroforestry tree species in agricultural fields enhances fuelwood production in Tanzania. Environmental Sustainability and Indicators, 18: 100246. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.indic.2023.100246
  47. White, F., 1983. The vegetation of Africa. A descriptive memoir to accompany the UNESCO/AETFAT/UNSO Vegetation map of Africa. Paris: UNESCO. 356 p.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/foecol-2025-0014 | Journal eISSN: 1338-7014 | Journal ISSN: 1336-5266
Language: English
Page range: 139 - 148
Submitted on: Oct 29, 2024
Accepted on: Mar 21, 2025
Published on: Jul 23, 2025
Published by: Slovak Academy of Sciences, Institute of Forest Ecology
In partnership with: Paradigm Publishing Services
Publication frequency: 2 issues per year

© 2025 Samora Macrice Andrew, published by Slovak Academy of Sciences, Institute of Forest Ecology
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.