Cross–Niger transition forests: Difference between revisions

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{{Short description|Ecoregion in Nigeria}}

{{Infobox ecoregion

|name = Cross–Niger transition forests

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The '''Cross–Niger transition forests''' are is a [[tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests|tropical moist broadleaf forest]] [[ecoregion]] of southeastern [[Nigeria]], located between the [[Niger River]] on the west and the [[Cross River (Nigeria)|Cross River]] on the east. Once a rich mixture of tropical forest and savanna woodland covered these low, rolling hills but today, this is one of the most densely populated areas of Africa and today most of the forest has been removed and the area is now grassland.<ref name='ecomap'>{{cite web|title=Map of Ecoregions 2017|url=https://ecoregions2017.appspot.com/|publisher=Resolve|language=en|access-date=August 20, 2021}}</ref><ref name='dopa'>{{cite web|title=Cross–Niger transition forests|url=https://dopa-explorer.jrc.ec.europa.eu/ecoregion/30106|publisher=Digital Observatory for Protected Areas|language=en|access-date=August 20, 2021}}</ref><ref name= 'eoe'>{{cite web|title=Cross–Niger transition forests|url=https://editors.eol.org/eoearth/wiki/Cross-Niger_transition_forests|publisher=The Encyclopedia of Earth|language=en|access-date=August 20, 2021}}</ref>

==Location and description==

The ecoregion known as the Cross Niger Transition Forests is situated between the biogeographic regions of the Niger River and the Cross River. Due to the high agricultural intensity in this ecoregion, the majority of the natural tree cover has been removed.<ref>Ansah, C. E., Abu, I. O., Kleemann, J., Mahmoud, M. I., & Thiel, M. (2022). Environmental Contamination of a Biodiversity Hotspot—Action Needed for Nature Conservation in the Niger Delta, Nigeria. ''Sustainability'', ''14''(21), 14256.</ref> The eco-region extends across the Nigerian states of [[Abia State|Abia]], [[Akwa Ibom]], [[Anambra]], [[Ebonyi]], and [[Imo State|Imo]], covering an area of {{convert|20,700|km2|sqmi|sp=us}}.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Cross-Niger Transition Forests |url=https://fortuneofafrica.com/cross-niger-transition-forests/ |access-date=2023-07-05 |website=Fortune of Africa {{!}} Investment in Africa |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=South East Region |url=https://www.myguidenigeria.com/regionalinfo/south-east-region |access-date=2023-07-05 |website=My Guide Nigeria |language=en}}</ref> The Niger River separates the Cross–Niger transition forests from the [[Nigerian lowland forests]] to the west, which probably resembles most closely the original environment of the Cross–Niger ecoregioneco-region. To the south and south-west lies the [[Niger Delta swamp forests]]. To the north, the Cross–Niger transition forests yield to the [[Guinean forest-savanna mosaic]] of the drier interior.

The climate is wet, becoming drier further inland, with a dry season from December to February.

==Flora==

The traditionalnative flora and fauna of the ecoregion is "transitional", blending elements from the [[Upper Guinean forests]] of West Africa and the Lower Guinean-Congolian forests of Central Africa, which constitute the largest blocks of tropical moist forest on the African continent. Trees in the area include ''[[Afzelia]]'', which is cultivated for timber, and the ''[[Borassus aethiopum]]'' palm.

==Fauna==

Small areas of protected [[forest]] do remain within the [[grassland]] and these are home to animals such as [[Sclater's guenon]] and [[crested chameleon]] (''[[Trioceros cristatus]]''). The [[Niger River]] has always been a substantial barrier to movement of wildlife in and out of the region. Large mammals have been depleted in the area since the 1940s and there is now so little [[wildlife]] remaining in the area that even bats[[bat]]s and frogs[[frog]]s are now trapped and eaten.

==Threats==

The ecoregion has sustained a dense human [[population]] for [[Century|centuries]], and much of the original forest cover has been cleared for agriculture, forest plantations, and urban developments such as the [[Oil refinery|oil refineries]] of [[Port Harcourt]]. The few remaining enclaves of native forest include the [[Stubbs Creek Forest Reserve]] in [[Akwa Ibom]] together with some enclaves of sacred forest, which are continually disappearing as [[village]] life is eroded, and patches of riverine forest. There are forest reserves in [[Anambra]] and elsewhere, but these last are mostly for the purpose of cultivating timber rather than preserving the original environment.

== References ==