AfroMont is planning to conduct a State of African Mountains Assessment with a focus on monitoring the health and security of African mountain ecosystems (SOAMA-Eco). From very quick discussions with specialists, it would seem that there is a gap in our knowledge on ‘the state of’ African mountain ecosystems and we need to develop a quantified understanding of how ‘healthy and secure’ they are in the face of global change. Many in government speak of ‘ecosystem services’ that will provide for people where governments cannot, yet there is little measurement on the capacity of key African mountain ecosystems to provide these services. This would be termed ‘ecosystem security’ and work is needed to understand how ‘secure’ African mountain ecosystems are. Also, in terms of the species and processes that keep ecosystems functioning, little is known in a comparative way, although there is much ecological work being undertaken in mountains around the world and in Africa.

Thousands of honey bee colonies are used every year to pollinate important crops across South Africa. More than 50 crops in South Africa reply on insect pollination. However it is often difficult for beekeepers to sustain their colonies after the blossom season is over. For honey bee populations to withstand pests (e.g. Varroa mite) and diseases (e.g. American Foulbrood), as well as some degree of pesticide exposure, a healthy diet is crucial for a fully-functioning immune system. Beekeepers use a variety of flowering plants species to provide forage (food) for their colonies through the year. Eucalyptus trees, certain crop species, indigenous trees and shrubs, and even urban gardens and roadside weeds are used to provide the pollen (protein) and nectar (carbohydrates) that the honeybees need to build a strong and healthy colony.

Check out the latest posts:

‘Mountains 2016’ dedicated to Mountains’ vulnerability to climate change - by LuMont

Transdisciplinary models as a tool for enhancing sustainable outcomes in natural-human systems - by Mountain Sentinels

Exploring the Aberdare Mountains in Kenya - by AfroMont

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At last – the online conference registration website is available.

AfroMont - Mt Kilimanjaro Mountain Research Conference 22 – 26 February 2017: the URL http://www.afromont.org will be available from 1st August 2016 to register. Delegates can now register online and submit an abstract and make an EFT Payment to pay for their attendance.

Have a look at the list of upcoming mountain-related events!

List of events

• Mountains of Our Future Earth: Defining Priorities for Mountain Research. A Synthesis From the 2015 Perth III Conference.
• Filling the Data Gaps in Mountain Climate Observatories Through Advanced Technology, Refined Instrument Siting, and a Focus on Gradients.
• Framing the Human Dimensions of Mountain Systems: Integrating Social Science Paradigms for a Global Network of Mountain Observatories.
• Mapping landscape beta diversity of plants across KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa , for aiding conservation planning.
• From REDD plus forests to green landscapes? Analyzing the emerging integrated landscape approach discourse in the UNFCCC.
• Soil nutrient balances under diverse agro-ecological settings in Ethiopia.
• Increasing aeolian dust deposition to snowpacks in the Rocky Mountains inferred from snowpack, wet deposition, and aerosol chemistry.
• The chemical composition and fluxes of atmospheric wet deposition at four sites in South Africa.
• The mechanics of head-supported load carriage by Nepalese porters.