Amurum woodlands (Taboru) (6753)
Nigeria, Africa
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2001
National site name: Amurum woodlands (Taboru)
Central coordinates: Latitude: 9.8833, Longitude: 8.9833
System: terrestrial
Elevation (m): 1280 to 1280
Area of KBA (km2): 1.99
KBA classification: Global/Regional TBD
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: The Amurum woodlands are located 15 km north-east of Jos and comprise a small area of granitic outcrops in dry scrub savanna, interspersed with gallery forests, patches of grassland and cultivated farmlands on the Jos Plateau. Common tree species include Danielia oliveri, Parkia biglobosa, Lophira lanceolata, Khaya senegalensis, Vitex doniana, Piliostigma thonningii and Ficus spp. Average annual rainfall is around 1,400 mm.
Rationale for qualifying as KBA: This site qualifies as a Key Biodiversity Area of international significance because it meets one or more previously established criteria and thresholds for identifying sites of biodiversity importance (including Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas, Alliance for Zero Extinction sites, and Key Biodiversity Areas)
Additional biodiversity: See Box and Table 3 for key species. In addition, the site also holds the recently described, and apparently nationally endemic, Lagonosticta sanguinodorsalis and its brood-parasite Vidua maryae, which may also prove to be both globally threatened and of restricted-range. Gallinago media may occur as it has been recorded from other parts of the Jos Plateau on migration. Motacilla flava winters in large numbers in the area. Non-bird biodiversity: None known to BirdLife International.
Habitats
Land use: agriculture | forestry
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Shrubland | 100 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: The site holds some of the best remaining areas of natural Jos Plateau vegetation, devastated elsewhere by, among other things, tin-mining operations. However, the site is vulnerable because of its small size and its proximity to the urban community of Jos. Some degradation, not yet serious, is occurring due to wood-cutting, cattle-grazing and farming. Further investigation of other forest patches in the area is needed. Community-based, participatory management of the site is supported by a joint NCF–RSPB–WWF(UK)–DFID project. There are plans for an Ornithological Research Institute, affiliated to the University of Jos, to be established near Amurum. These include developing the educational value of the site and so raising the profile of its conservation importance.
| Threat level 1 | Threat level 2 | Threat level 3 | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agriculture & aquaculture | Livestock farming & ranching | Nomadic grazing | Ongoing |
| Biological resource use | Gathering terrestrial plants | Unintentional effects (species being assessed is not the target) | Ongoing |
| Natural system modifications | Fire & fire suppression | Increase in fire frequency/intensity | Ongoing |
| Invasive & other problematic species, genes & diseases | Invasive non-native/alien species/diseases | Named species | Ongoing |
| Pollution | Agricultural & forestry effluents | Type Unknown/Unrecorded | Ongoing |
| Transportation & service corridors | Roads & railroads | Ongoing | |
| Energy production & mining | Renewable energy | Ongoing | |
| Residential & commercial development | Tourism & recreation areas | Ongoing | |
| Human intrusions & disturbance | War, civil unrest & military exercises | Only in the future | |
| Climate change & severe weather | Temperature extremes | Ongoing |
Additional information
References: Payne (1998).