Ecology, evolution, and conservation of Ethiopia’s biodiversity

Abstract

Ethiopia is home to one of the richest and most unique assemblages of fauna and flora on the African continent. Contained within its borders are two major centers of endemism, the mesic Roof of Africa (also known as the Ethiopian Highlands) and the arid Horn of Africa, resulting from the country’s varied topography and consequent geographic isolation. These centers of endemism are crucial to global conservation as evidenced by their classification within the Eastern Afromontane and Horn of Africa biodiversity hotspots, respectively. Ethiopia’s diverse ecosystems and the biodiversity they contain are increasingly threatened by climate change and the growing impacts of Africa’s second largest human and largest livestock populations. In this paper, we focus on several key areas of recent and ongoing research on Ethiopian biodiversity that have broadened our understanding of nature and its conservation in Africa. Topics explored include the behavioral ecology of Ethiopia’s large social mammals, the ecology and conservation of its unique coffee forests, and Ethiopian approaches to community conservation, fortress conservation, and nature-based solutions. We also highlight the increasing prominence of Ethiopian scientists in studies of the country’s biodiversity in recent decades. We suggest promising avenues for future research in evolutionary biology, ecology, systematics, and conservation in Ethiopia and discuss how recent and ongoing work in Ethiopia is helping us better understand and conserve nature in the human-dominated landscapes of Africa and other tropical regions today.

Distribution and extent of suitable habitats of Prince Ruspoli turaco (Tauraco ruspolii) and White-cheeked turaco (Tauraco leucotis) in times of climate change in Ethiopia

“…1). Ethiopia is home to one of the richest and most unique assemblages of fauna and ora on the African continent [22]. In the country, about 863 bird species are believed to be recognized, of which 19 are endemic to the country alone and additionally 14 endemics shared with Eritrea [23].…”

Plant Community Composition and Structural Pattern Dynamics in Robe-Raya Natural Forest, Southeast Ethiopia

“…Ethiopia is a land of diferent terrain and geographical features ranging from moorland (high mountain units) to depressions (land below sea level), rendering it to have variable elevations and climatic conditions [1]. Tese characteristics contribute to the nation's diverse ecological settings which support organisms' evolution and adaptability favoring it to have a rich biological diversity in east Africa [2].…”

Crossing the Rift valley: using complete mitogenomes to infer the diversification and biogeographic history of ethiopian highlands Ptychadena (anura: Ptychadenidae)

“…The Ethiopian Highlands constitute one of the major centers of endemism and biodiversity in continental Africa ( Williams et al, 2005 ; Fashing et al, 2022 ). Beginning as a single land massif with a complex geological history of uplift and volcanism ( Yemane et al, 1985 ; Wolfenden et al, 2004 ; Bonini et al, 2005 ; Corti, 2009 ; Sembroni et al, 2016 ; Xue et al, 2018 ), this region was split by the development of the Great Rift Valley (GRV) during the late Miocene and Pleistocene, creating an impressive gradient of elevations and climates, high environmental heterogeneity and diverse vegetation types.…”

“…Despite being a hotspot for biodiversity, the Ethiopian Highlands have been identified as one of the African regions with the highest proportion of potentially threatened species ( Stévart et al, 2019 ; Fashing et al, 2022 ). This is mainly because the region is under critical threat due to rapid human population growth and expansion of agriculture ( Stephens et al, 2001 ; Gower et al, 2013 ; Stévart et al, 2019 ; Fashing et al, 2022 ). In addition, contemporary climatic changes also negatively affect the montane ecosystems ( Asefa et al, 2020 ).…”