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Biogeography and Ecology of Miombo Woodlands

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Miombo Woodlands in a Changing Environment: Securing the Resilience and Sustainability of People and Woodlands

Abstract

The miombo woodlands form the largest dry forest ecosystem both worldwide and in southern Africa. They have existed since the Tertiary Period following major climatic and topographic changes which shrank the closed evergreen forests. We describe miombo distribution according to the ecological importance of Brachystegia and Julbernardia, the two main genera, and according to the abundance of the main plant species. Analyses indicate that the woodlands cover nearly 2 million km2. The ecology of the woodlands is driven by climate, soils and disturbances, but given the extent of woodland cover change, the variability in structure and composition across the region is enormous and not always directly related to the determinants. This landscape variability is important for miombo conservation and management. Continued active research is essential to increase knowledge in the current global changing context.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    Species IVI is a summation of three values: (1) the species' relative dominance or percent basal area coverage relative to other species in the stand; (2) relative density or percent occurrence per unit area relative to other species; and (3) relative frequency or percent probability of occurrence in a sample plot relative to other community species (Kent 2012).

  2. 2.

    Dambo grasslands are small valley wetlands found commonly on the plateau savanna regions of eastern and southern Africa (Bell et al. 1987).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Agronomy and Forest Engineering, Eduardo Mondlane University, Av. Julius Nyerere, 3453, Campus Universitario, Building #1, Maputo, Mozambique

    Natasha S. Ribeiro

  2. Département GxABT / Laboratoire de Foresterie des régions tropicales et subtropicales, Bât. G1 Laboratoire de Foresterie des régions trop. et subtropicales, Gembloux, 5030, Belgium

    Pedro L. Silva de Miranda

  3. Biodiversity Foundation for Africa, 30 Warren Lane, East Dean, E. Sussex BN20 0EW, UK

    Jonathan Timberlake

Authors
  1. Natasha S. Ribeiro
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  2. Pedro L. Silva de Miranda
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  3. Jonathan Timberlake
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Correspondence to Natasha S. Ribeiro .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Agronomy and Forest Engineering, UEM, Maputo, Mozambique

    Natasha S. Ribeiro

  2. Manicaland Bioenergy Company, Harare, Zimbabwe

    Yemi Katerere

  3. Department of Plant and Soil Science, Ecology and Biodiversity, University of Pretoria, Hatfield, South Africa

    Paxie W. Chirwa

  4. Department of Biological Sciences, University of Zimbabwe, Harare, Zimbabwe

    Isla M. Grundy

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Ribeiro, N.S., Silva de Miranda, P., Timberlake, J. (2020). Biogeography and Ecology of 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. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-50104-4_2

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