This is an open access article under the terms of the Creat ive Commo ns Attri bution-NonCo mmercial License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited and is not used for commercial purposes.

This is an open access article under the terms of the Creat ive Commo ns Attri butio n-NonCo mmerc ial-NoDerivs License, which permits use and distribution in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited, the use is non-commercial and no modifications or adaptations are made.

Summary The miombo region in Africa is covered by a mosaic of woodlands and geoxylic grasslands and is subject to disturbances such as fires, frost and drought, and low nutrient availability. The dominance of Fabaceae Detarioideae species in miombo ecosystems is remarkable but little understood. We therefore compared plant functional traits (PFTs) of common woody species of the Angolan plateau, grouped by life form (trees, geoxyles), lineage (Fabaceae: Detarioideae, non‐Detarioideae) and symbiont association (ectomycorrhiza, rhizobia). PFTs reflect group‐specific adaptations to prevalent environmental conditions. To analyse the impact of environmental drivers, we selected PFTs reflecting ecophysiological aspects of leaf morphology, nutrient content and water transport. Traits were measured following standardized protocols. We found differences in key PFTs between trees and geoxyles reflecting both life form‐specific adaptations to environmental conditions and lineage‐specific strategies to cope with environmental stresses. We interpret higher leaf thickness and higher wood density of geoxyles as responses to harsher open environments. Fabaceae in general and ectomycorrhizal species showed better nutrient status. Symbiotic associations of detarioid legumes with ectomycorrhiza show specific advantages for phosphorous uptake as compared to Rhizobia‐associated Fabaceae and to non‐Fabaceae and thus may be crucial for the stunning dominance of Detarioideae in miombo landscapes.

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Over-exploitation of wildlife especially bushmeat trade is the second most important threat to animal biodiversity. This also applies to Northern Angola but data on bushmeat and hunting techniques for this region are rare. Therefore, we study the most common hunting techniques, frequently captured species, and their economic value, and discuss the local resource use in relation to Angolan law and urgent global crises like the loss of biodiversity, the food supply in South African countries, and the risk of zoonoses. We recorded bushmeat hunting in 27 localities in the province of Uíge, accompanied hunters along their snare lines and interviewed additional 20 locals. Seven main types of snares and traps and their characteristics were defined. Hunters own on average 92 ± 128.7 snares and traps and capture about 25.3 ± 23.6 animals monthly. In total, respondents recognized 28 species of mammals of which one is considered as extinct and two as very rare. The majority of recorded species are hunted regularly. Rodents are most commonly caught followed by primates and duikers. Harvesting rates decrease with species’ body size, leading to high economic value of and achievable prices for rare, large animals. Overall, our results document the hunting pressure on mammals and the persisting popularity of bushmeat in Northern Angola which poses an imminent threat to remaining mammal populations. Moreover, it endangers ecosystem integrity, rural livelihoods, and human health through the risk of new zoonoses. Our findings underscore the urgent need for sustainable solutions. The Angolan government should play a more active role in enforcing existing hunting legislation to reduce illegal bushmeat trade.