Biodiversity Hotspot of the Eastern Afromontane

Biodiversity is declining at an alarming rate due to anthropogenic activities around the world. As a part of the new series Biodiversity Hotspots of the World, which highlights the 36 hotspot regions of the world, this new book covers the Eastern Afromontane, encompassing regions of Africa and Arabia. This series is our humble attempt to document the various hotspots around the world as a conservation and preservation measure.

The concise volumes in this series focus on the most interesting and important properties of these hotspots, covering physiography and climatology; vegetation and forest types; amphibian and reptile biodiversity; genetic diversity of crops, plants, fishes, butterflies, insects, birds, mammals, angiosperms, and gymnosperms; and much more. And of course, the unique threats and conservation efforts for the areas are addressed as well.

Biodiversity Hotspot of the Eastern Afromontane covers extensive areas in Africa and Arabia, starting from some of its highest peaks and mountain regions to large plateaus. The hotspot is home to a diverse ecosystem of bamboo forests, grasslands, and high-altitude wetlands. It is also home to some of the world most extraordinary lakes, with a thriving marine life featuring a vast amount of freshwater fish diversity. Nearly 1,300 bird species are found in the hotspot, as well as over 500 mammal species.

The book first provides an overview of the ecological features of the land, covering its geography, climate, and vegetation. It then goes on to cover diversity in its various lifeforms including lichens, pteridophytes, gymnosperms, and angiosperms. It also delves into the diversity of amphibians and mammals residing in the hotspot. The book covers the negative impact of climate change on the hotspot and the subsequent dangers it poses. It also throws light on various other threats to the biodiversity in the region. The book details the various conservation efforts currently taken as well as steps that can be taken to improve these efforts.

This volume, Biodiversity Hotspot of the Eastern Afromontane, as well as the other volumes in this series, will be essential resources for researchers and practitioners in the fields of conservation biology, ecology, and evolution as the series concisely records the existing biodiversity of these hotspots of the world.

T. Pullaiah, PhD, is a former Professor at the Department of Botany at Sri Krishnadevaraya University in Andhra Pradesh, India, where he has taught for more than 35 years. He has held several positions at the university, including Dean, Faculty of Biosciences, Head of the Department of Botany, Head of the Department of Biotechnology, and Member of Academic Senate. He was President of Indian Botanical Society (2014), President of the Indian Association for Angiosperm Taxonomy (2013), and Fellow of Andhra Pradesh Akademi of Sciences. He has been awarded with various prestigious awards for his work. Under his guidance 54 students obtained their doctoral degrees. He has authored 65 books, edited 45 books, and published over 340 research papers. His books include Mangroves: Biodiversity, Livelihoods and Conservation (Springer), Ethnobotany of India (5 volumes, Apple Academic Press), Global Biodiversity (4 volumes, Apple Academic Press), Monograph on Brachystelma and Ceropegia in India (CRC Press), Apomixis in Angiosperms (CRC Press), Invasive Alien Species ( 4 volume, Wiley International), Advances in Cell and Molecular Diagnostics (published by Elsevier), Camptothecin and Camptothecin Producing Plants (Elsevier), Paclitaxel (Elsevier), Red Sanders: Silviculture and Conservation (Springer), and more. He was also a member of Species Survival Commission of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Professor Pullaiah received his PhD from Andhra University, India, attended Moscow State University, Russia, and worked as Postdoctoral Fellow during 1976–1978.

Teshome Soromessa, PhD, is currently a Professor of Environmental Science at the Center for Environmental Science of Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia. He is a renowned Ethiopian environmental scientist who has significantly contributed to the understanding and conservation of the country natural resources. His research focuses on various aspects of Ethiopian vegetation, including flora of northeast and east tropical Africa, woodlands and forests, community and ecosystem ecology, regeneration ecology, forest fire and its impact on plant species, restoration of degraded land, estimation of carbon stock in natural forests, tree allometry and modelling of ecosystem services, etc. Professor Soromessa research has not only been groundbreaking but also highly impactful. He has published over 200 scientific articles, books, and book chapters, sharing his knowledge with the wider scientific community and informing conservation efforts. His dedication to the environment extends far beyond his research. He has actively served in various capacities, promoting capacity building and environmental awareness at the national and international levels. Dr. Soromessa completed both his BSc and MSc degrees at Addis Ababa University. He earned his PhD and postdoctoral research at the prestigious University of Vienna, Austria.