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Observations on the effects of fire on East African Afroalpine vegetation

Abstract:

An accidental fire that affected vegetation across an elevational gradient on the eastern slope of Mount Muhabura in Volcanoes National Park (Rwanda) provided a unique opportunity to compare the richness, diversity, composition and elevational distribution of plant taxa across burned and unburned Afromontane habitats 1 and 9 years after the fire. Although richness and local α-diversity were comparable, community composition differed across burned and unburned habitats with the former having a lower cover of woody perennials and a higher cover of herbaceous annuals. We confirm the role of fire in shaping Afromontane vegetation, which is important information for protected area management.