Biodiversity Hotspot of the Coastal Forests of Eastern Africa by T Pullaiah

Biodiversity Hotspot of the Coastal Forests of Eastern Africa by T Pullaiah

Biodiversity is declining at an alarming rate due to anthropogenic activities around the world. This book is part of the new series Biodiversity Hotspots of the World, which highlights the 36 hotspot regions of the world that are Earth's most biologically rich but threatened terrestrial regions, each defined by having at least 1,500 endemic plant species and having lost at least 70% of its original natural vegetation.

This volume covers the Coastal Forests of Eastern Africa Biodiversity Hotspot, which stretches along the eastern edge of Africa and includes parts of Somalia, Kenya, Tanzania, and Mozambique. All islands lying immediately offshore are also part of the hotspot—Pemba, Zanzibar, Mafia and the Bazaruto Archipelago among them. While it is difficult to document the biodiversity of this inhospitable terrain, the coastal forests have exceptionally rich biodiversity and high endemism, with 11,000 species of plants and animals, including 1000 species of seaweed, 3000 species of mollusks, and 1500 species of fish. Anthropogenic activities including deforestation, fragmentation of habitats, pollution, increased human population, climate change, and poaching of wildlife pose serious threats to the biodiversity of the region.

T. Pullaiah, PhD, is a former Professor of Botany at Sri Krishnadevaraya University in Andhra Pradesh, India, where he 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 the Academic Senate. He was President of the Indian Botanical Society (2014), President of the Indian Association for Angiosperm Taxonomy (2013), and Fellow of Andhra Pradesh Akademi of Sciences. Under his guidance, over 50 students earned their doctoral degrees. He has authored over 70 books, edited over 40 books, and published over 340 research papers, including reviews and book chapters. He was a member of the Species Survival Commission of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

Ally J. K. Nkwabi, PhD, is a National Coordinator for the International Waterbird Census (IWC) in Tanzania. His early research focused on the ecology of fauna and flora, human-wildlife conflict, as well as assessing biodiversity in different wetlands. After completing his PhD, Dr. Nkwabi served as Principal Research Officer at the Tanzania Wildlife Research Institute. He has published 18 papers in peer-reviewed journals, 15 book chapters, and one book: Birds of Western Tanzania. Dr. Nkwabi is a member of the AEWA Grey Crowned Crane International Working Group. He is also a national coordinator for the International Waterbird Census (IWC) in Tanzania.