East African Ecosystems and Their ConservationT. R. McClanahan, T. P. Young East Africa is one of the most diverse and interesting tropical area on the planet. It is home not only to the last great megafaunal assemblage, but also to human populations with the highest growth rates. This book draws on the expertise of leading ecologists, each intimately familiar with a particular set of East African ecosystems, to provide the first in-depth and integrated account of the ecology, management, threats, and conservation of these diverse ecosystems. Summarizing the tremendous wealth of scientific research that has come out of East Africa in the last few decades, each chapter analyzes a given ecosystem type, taking the reader through the basics of its ecology, its historical use (and misuse) by humans, and its prospects for conservation. Throughout the book, linkages and similarities among ecosystems are emphasized, the historical and contemporary role of humans in shaping these ecosystems is considered, fundamental principles of ecology are considered, and interesting case studies are highlighted. Students and researchers in ecology, conservation biology, and environmental sciences will find this book useful in their work. |
Contents
Historical Ecology | 3 |
Conclusions | 13 |
Paleoecology of Humans and their | 19 |
Holocene Humans and Their Influence on the Environment | 25 |
Conclusions | 33 |
Oceanic Ecosystems and Pelagic Fisheries | 39 |
Production Ecology | 45 |
References | 65 |
Ecosystem Energetics | 255 |
Ecosystem Control | 268 |
Savanna Ecosystems | 273 |
Vegetation of the Savanna | 274 |
Community Structure | 280 |
Threats to Savanna Ecosystems | 293 |
H Gichohi E Mwangi C Gakahu | 299 |
Vegetation Communities | 305 |
Coral Reefs and Nearshore Fisheries | 67 |
Production and Ecological Processes | 81 |
Conclusion | 97 |
Intertidal Wetlands | 101 |
Human Impacts on the Intertidal Zone | 121 |
Conclusions | 127 |
Rivers and Streams | 133 |
Hydrology and Physical Factors | 139 |
Human Influences on Streams and Rivers | 158 |
Problems and Recommendations | 162 |
Saline and Freshwater Lakes of | 171 |
References | 185 |
A Burney Department of Biological Sciences Fordham University Bronx | 188 |
The Great Lakes | 191 |
Human Influences on African Great Lake Ecosystems | 206 |
Conclusions | 213 |
Kaufman L J Chapman C A Chapman | 217 |
Wetland Economic Uses | 230 |
References | 238 |
Arid and Semiarid Ecosystems | 243 |
Climate and Ecology | 246 |
Miombo Environment | 308 |
Human Uses of the Miombo Woodlands | 314 |
References | 323 |
Coastal Forests | 329 |
Ecology of Coastal Forests | 339 |
Conservation of Coastal Forests | 350 |
Conclusions | 358 |
Mavuti Department of Zoology University of Nairobi P O Box 30197 | 359 |
N Burgess C D Fitzgibbon P Clarke | 361 |
Biogeographic Patterns of Biological Diversity | 365 |
Ecosystem Structure Function and Dynamics | 371 |
Conservation Issues | 379 |
K E Medley F M R Hughes | 381 |
A History | 385 |
Forest Fauna | 395 |
A Chapman L J Chapman | 401 |
Ecosystem Function | 412 |
Prospects and Conclusions | 423 |
Concluding Remarks | 425 |
433 | |
Common terms and phrases
abundance agricultural algae animals aquatic areas arid basin biological biomass birds Brachystegia catch changes cichlids climate coastal forests communities conservation coral reefs degradation density distribution diversity dominated dry season East Africa eastern Africa Ecology ecosystems effects elephants endemic energy environment environmental factors fauna fire fish fisheries fishermen floodplain forage Forest Reserve freshwater grass grasslands grazing growth habitats herbivores important increased invertebrates Journal Kenya km² Lake Edward Lake Kivu Lake Malawi Lake Naivasha Lake Tanganyika Lake Victoria land livestock Malindi mammals mangrove marine miombo woodlands monsoon mountains Nairobi Nakuru National Park Nile perch nutrients occur Ocean organisms oxygen papyrus pastoral pastoralists patterns phytoplankton plants predators production rainfall rangeland reduced region result Rift Valley riverine salinity savanna sea urchins sediment shores shrubs soil Somalia southern species streams studies swamp Tanzania temperature trees tropical tsetse fly Turkana Uganda vegetation wetlands wildlife zone