Chapter 13—Southern African mountains—Different, diverse, and in need of protection

Mzumara, Tiwonge, Membretti, Andrea, Delves, Jess L., Loza, Joyce, Chibesa, Moses, Timberlake, Jonathan and Clark, Vincent Ralph, "Chapter 13—Southern African mountains—Different, diverse, and in need of protection" in Safeguarding Mountain Social-Ecological Systems: Building Transformative Resilience in Mountain Regions Worldwide ed. Schneiderbauer, Stefan, Fontanella Pisa, Paola, Shroder, John and Szarzynski, Joerg (Amsterdam: Elsevier Inc., 2024), 73-86.

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  • Author Mzumara, Tiwonge
    Membretti, Andrea
    Delves, Jess L.
    Loza, Joyce
    Chibesa, Moses
    Timberlake, Jonathan
    Clark, Vincent Ralph
    Book Editor Schneiderbauer, Stefan
    Fontanella Pisa, Paola
    Shroder, John
    Szarzynski, Joerg
    Chapter Title Chapter 13—Southern African mountains—Different, diverse, and in need of protection
    Book Title Safeguarding Mountain Social-Ecological Systems: Building Transformative Resilience in Mountain Regions Worldwide
    Publication Date 2024
    Place of Publication Amsterdam
    Publisher Elsevier Inc.
    Start page 73
    End page 86
    Language eng
    Abstract The mountain landscapes of Southern Africa are diverse, comprising mountain ranges, massifs, inselbergs, and scattered hills, and range from mesic in the east to hyperarid in the south-west. A common feature of Southern African mountains—regardless of the climatic zone—is exceptionally high biodiversity and endemism, with dominant endemism and diversity in open habitats (Grassland, Fynbos, and Nama-Karoo) that are also important carbon sequestration systems. Historically, they supported prolific megafauna, remnants of which remain in more remote places, and there has been an ongoing reintroduction program in areas where many species were locally extirpated. These mountains also provide various important ecosystem services, including being sources of all of this semiarid region’s major rivers—supplying economic and political centers that are usually distant from the mountains themselves. Some mountains have benefited from extensive formal, protected-area networks due to the need for water security, high biological diversity, and their scenic value, while others lack effective conservation or sustainable forms of utilization. The primary risks to the region’s mountains are alien invasive species; bush encroachment by indigenous woody species; inappropriate fire management/suboptimal fire regimes; overgrazing; conversion of biologically rich montane grasslands to forestry and agriculture; mining; and urban expansion. Climate change is a pervasive background concern given the already water-stressed nature of the region. The establishment of transfrontier protected areas provides an opportunity for improved transboundary research and practitioner collaborations toward a stronger policy voice for Southern African mountains.
    Copyright Holder Elsevier Inc.
    Copyright Year 2024
    Copyright type All rights reserved
    DOI 10.1016/B978-0-443-32824-4.00002-X
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    Created: Mon, 09 Sep 2024, 23:11:08 JST by Aarti Basnyat on behalf of UNU EHS