The Ukaguru Mountains are a mountain range in central Tanzania . The mountains are in Morogoro region, east of Tanzania's capital Dodoma . The mountains are named for the Kaguru people . The Ukaguru Mountains are part of the Eastern Arc Mountains , and are home to a biodiverse community of flora and fauna with large numbers of endemic species .
23-589: The Ukaguru Mountains are plateau, covering an area of 1258.8 km. The Mkondoa River separates the Ukaguru Mountains from the Rubeho Mountains to the southwest. The Mkata Plain lies to the east. The Nguru Mountains lie to the northeast. The Kiboriani Mountains, a western outlier of the Ukagurus, and East African Plateau lie to the west. The Ukaguru Mountains lie in the rain shadow of
46-610: A great deal of endemism , and a very diverse flora and fauna. The Ukaguru and other Eastern Arc mountains have extremely high biodiversity with numerous endemic species (more than 25 percent of the vertebrate species). The Ukaguru Mountains are covered with miombo woodland on the eastern and southern slopes, Acacia-Commiphora woodland and savanna on the northern and western slopes, and montane rainforest, dry montane forest, montane grassland at higher elevations. Forests extend from 1500 to 2250 meters elevation. An analysis of satellite images taken between 1999 and 2003 found 172 km of
69-497: A great deal of endemism , with very diverse flora and fauna. The Nguru and other Eastern Arc mountains have extremely high biodiversity with numerous endemic species (more than 25 percent of the vertebrate species). Miombo woodland covers the Mkata-Wami plain to the east, and the low hills to the south, west, and north. Forests extend from 300 to 2000 meters elevation. The forests vary in species composition with elevation and
92-482: A period some 10 million years ago, when the climate was cooler and drier, the lowland forests were converted to savanna , leaving the mountain ranges as "islands" where the tropical forests continued to flourish, fed by moisture-laden winds from the Indian Ocean. This isolation of each mountain range has led to a great deal of endemism , and a very diverse flora and fauna. The Eastern Arc has become known as one of
115-554: A roughly crescent-shaped arc and consist of: These mountain ranges are the oldest in East Africa, and though physically separated from each other, share a similar geomorphology and ecology . They were formed at least 100 million years ago along a fault lying to the east of the East African Rift , which is a more recent structure. About 30 million years ago, all this area was covered by extensive rainforest . During
138-694: A tributary of the Wami River . The range lies in the watershed of the Wami. The plain of the Wami and its tributary the Mkata lies to the southeast and east. The Uluguru Mountains lie to the southeast across the plain. The Ukaguru Mountains lie to the southwest, and the Nguu Mountains lie to the north; both ranges are separated from the Nguru Mountains by low hills. More hilly country separates
161-586: Is in the northeastern portion of the mountains, divided from the main block by the Mjonga River valley. Magotwe reserve (709 ha) is at a lower elevation on the eastern slope, between the two mountain blocks. 6°00′S 37°30′E / 6.000°S 37.500°E / -6.000; 37.500 Eastern Arc Mountains The Eastern Arc Mountains are a chain of mountains found in Kenya and Tanzania . The chain runs from northeast to southwest, with
184-592: The Eastern Arc Mountains . The mountains are predominantly covered with rainforest , home to 83 species of birds and African violets . Several forest reserves are located in the mountains. The Nguru Mountains cover an area of 1672.90 km . The highest elevation is 2400 meters in Nguru South. The range runs roughly northeast-southwest, and is split by the valley of the Mjonga River ,
207-560: The Maasai Steppe the northwest. The Nguru mountains intercept moisture-laden winds from the Indian Ocean, which provide most of the rainfall in the mountains. Rainfall averages 1,800 millimetres or 70 inches annually. Most of the rainfall occurs in the November-to-May wet season, although mist and light rain occur at higher elevations during the dry season. Rainfall is higher on the southern and eastern slopes, and lower in
230-700: The Taita Hills being in Kenya and the other ranges being in Tanzania. They are delimited on the southwest by the fault complex represented by the Makambako Gap that separates them from the Kipengere Range . To the northeast, they are delimited by more recent volcanism represented by Mount Kilimanjaro . The chain is considered a tentative World Heritage Site . The Eastern Arc Mountains form
253-491: The Ukaguru mountains. The plants Peddiea thulinii and Lobelia sancta are endemic to the Ukagurus. The Ikwamba (889 ha), Mamboto (149 ha), Mamiwa-Kisara North (7,897 ha), Mamiwa-Kisara South (6,266 ha) and Uponera (293 ha) forest reserves preserve areas of montane forest. Two smaller forest reserves are dominated by exotic pine plantations. Tanzania Central Line railway between Dar es Salaam and western Tanzania passes
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#1732779895992276-433: The direction of the slope. At lower elevations on the eastern slope, evergreen lowland rainforests dominate, with flora similar to the humid Zanzibar-Inhambane coastal forests further east. At higher elevations, the mountains are home to montane rainforests, with characteristic Afromontane species. Submontane forests occur from 900 to 1400 meters elevation on the eastern slopes, and between 1400 and 1500 meters elevation on
299-527: The eastern Usambara Mountains have the greatest degree of biodiversity. Many endemic species are found on a single mountain range. Four of the endemic birds are similar to Asian species, and may have evolved at a time when the Arabian Peninsula had a coastal fringe of vegetation to act as a passageway; the Udzungwa forest partridge ( Xenoperdix udzungwensis ) is a relict and example of this, it
322-477: The mountains were still covered in evergreen forest. Tree species in the montane evergreen forests include Balthasaria schliebenii , Ocotea usambarensis , Podocarpus milanjianus , and Polyscias stuhlmannii . The forests are less diverse, and have a lower canopy, than montane forest in the other Eastern Arc mountains. Large areas of degraded montane grassland lie west of the main ridgeline. The toads Nectophrynoides laticeps and N. paulae are endemic to
345-545: The mountains' rain shadow to the north and west. Temperatures are cooler and rainfall is higher at higher elevations. The Nguru Mountains, along with the others in the Eastern Arc, are made up of ancient crystalline Precambrian rocks that were lifted up over millions of years along fault lines. The most recent period of uplift started 30 million years ago, but the fault system and uplift process may be far older. Soils derived from these ancient rocks are not as fertile as
368-453: The north and west. Temperatures are cooler and rainfall is higher at higher elevations. The Ukaguru Mountains, along with the others in the Eastern Arc, are made up of ancient crystalline Precambrian rocks that were uplifted over millions of years along fault lines. The most recent period of uplift started 30 million years ago, but the fault system and uplift process may be far older. Soils derived from these ancient rocks are not as fertile as
391-577: The rare tree, Millettia sacleuxii , which was once feared extinct. Since its rediscovery seedlings are cultivated in some quantities. The mountains have one nature reserve and two forest reserves, totaling 31,409 ha. The Mkingu Nature Reserve is home to one of Tanzania's largest remaining undisturbed areas of montane forest. Mkingu was formed from the merger of the Nguru South Catchment Forest Reserve (19,793 ha) and Mkindo CFR (7,451 ha). The Kanga South CFR (6,664 ha)
414-613: The southern end of the mountains, following the Mkondoa River between the Ukaguru and Rubeho mountains. Tanzania's B127 highway runs along the eastern base of the mountains, and the B129 highway, which connects Morogoro and Dodoma , runs north of the range between the Ukaguru and Nguru mountains. Nguru Mountains The Nguru Mountains are a mountain range in Morogoro Region , Tanzania , Africa . They are part of
437-494: The taller Uluguru Mountains to the southeast, which block the moisture-laden winds from the Indian Ocean which provide most of the rainfall in the Eastern Arc Mountains. Most of the rainfall occurs in the November-to-May wet season, although mist and light rain occur at higher elevations during the dry season months. Rainfall is higher on the southern and eastern slopes, and lower in the mountains' rain shadow to
460-461: The western slopes. Montane rainforests predominate between 1400 and 2000 meters on the eastern slope, with mossy cloud forests at higher elevations. On the western slope are drier montane forests between 1600 and 200 meters. Above 2000 meters, montane heathlands predominate. An analysis of satellite images taken between 1999 and 2003 found 297 km of the mountains were still covered in evergreen forest. The Nguru and Usambara Mountains are home to
483-535: The world's top-20 biodiversity hotspots. Seventy-five species of vertebrate are endemic to the Eastern Arc, as well as thousands of species of invertebrates. About 15 plant genera are endemic to these mountains, as well as Streptocarpus sect. Saintpaulia , the African violet, now used as a houseplant around the world. Many of these endemics have evolved recently, but some are remnants of populations that were at one time more widespread. The Uluguru Mountains and
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#1732779895992506-438: The younger volcanic soils of mountains to the north and west. About 30 million years ago, the area was covered by extensive rainforest . During a cooler and drier period some 10 million years ago, the lowland forests were converted to savanna , leaving the mountain ranges as "islands" where the tropical forests continued to flourish. The long-term persistence of a humid climate and the isolation of each mountain range has led to
529-442: The younger volcanic soils of mountains to the north and west. About thirty million years ago, the area was covered by extensive rainforest . During a cooler and drier period some ten million years ago, the lowland forests were converted to savanna , leaving the mountain ranges as "islands" where the tropical forests continued to flourish. The long-term persistence of a humid climate and the isolation of each mountain range has led to
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