Introduction
Kibale is a mid-altitude moist evergreen tropical forest located in Uganda just north of the Equator. It lies in the foothills of the Rwenzori Mountains, at an altitude that ranges from 1110 m in the south to 1590 m in the northern part of the forest. It has a long history of management, with extensive changes being made to some parts of the forest, including conversion to grasslands and the establishment of exotic conifer plantations. Annual rainfall is about 1689 mm and maximum monthly temperatures are in the range 23–26°C.
Kibale is well-known as a site for detailed primate research. Thomas Struhsaker and colleagues from Duke University in the USA and elsewhere have been conducting research in the area for many years, and this has led to evaluations of the vegetation and the ecology of some of the mammals present in the forest. Long-term monitoring is an essential part to understanding the ecology of tropical forests and the advantage that Kibale has over many other sites is that this monitoring includes not only the vegetation (as at many other sits), but also some of the fauna, especially the primates.
A particularly interesting aspect of Kibale is that it represents a transition zone between east and central America. This means that the flora and fauna have elements derived from both east and central Africa. More than 70 mammal species have been recorded, including 13 species of primate, as well as more than 300 bird species.
Outcomes
By the end of this topic, you should be able to:
- Describe the characteristics of a mid-altitude moist evergreen tropical forest in Africa
- Recall some of the flora and fauna that might be found at Kibale National Park
- Explain why there is such a rich diversity of primates in the park
- Discuss how past management history affects the current structure and composition of a moist tropical forest in Africa