Mubende-Kyegegwa

UGATIPA28
Mubende-Kyegegwa

Country: Uganda

Administrative region: Western (Region)

Central co-ordinates: 0.48667 N, 31.06722 E

Qualifying IPA Criteria

A(i)Site contains one or more globally threatened species

IPA assessment rationale

Mubende-Kyegegwa qualifies as an IPA under criterion A. Sub-criterion A(i) is triggered by the presence of the Critically Endangered Sansevieria lineata (= Dracaena bugandana) for which this is one of only two sites globally, and the Vulnerable Aloe mubendiensis, a species of very narrow range with the majority of the known population in the Mubende-Kyegegwa area.

Site description

This site occurs on hills near Kyegegwa and Kibale villages, 30 – 45 km W of Mubende along the main Kampala-Fort Portal road. It is located within Kyegegwa district of Tooro sub-region, within the U2 floristic region in the western part of Uganda. It consists of a series of granite rock outcrops in an unprotected area. The rock outcrops rise to 1,370 m and are surrounded by largely gently undulating terrain. This site is located within the Lake Victoria Mosaic phytochorion (White 1983).

Botanical significance

The rock outcrops on the hills of this area are botanically important and of high conservation significance as they host important populations of two globally threatened and range-restricted species. The first is Sansevieria lineata T.G.Forrest (= Dracaena bugandana Byng & Christenh.) which was thought until recently to be endemic to Uganda and only known from this IPA until the apparent recent discovery of a disjunct population in Tanga Region of Tanzania (Yinga & Sakawa 2023). It is currently assessed as Critically Endangered owing to ongoing urban expansion of Kyegegwa, along with agricultural activity due to the cultivation of its habitat and burning (Rotton et al. 2022).The second is Aloe mubendiensis, a succulent perennial only known from this site plus two other Ugandan sites. Aloe mubendiensis, is globally Vulnerable, with extent of occurrence (EOO) estimated as only 1,949 km2 and this IPA is considered to contain the majority of its global population. It is otherwise known only from one site on the Kampala-Hoima road and one at Kibaale, northwest of Mubende.

Limited botanical surveying has been done within this IPA to date and there is need to conduct more extensive studies here and in the surrounding areas to fully understand its vegetation and flora. Further species of interest may well be uncovered; for example Crassocephalum bauchiense (VU) is known from its only Ugandan site on similar rock outcrops near Kakumiro, ca. 35 km to the northeast of the Mubende-Kyegegwa IPA (A.S. Thomas #4320, Oct. 1945), and it may also be found here in future surveys.

Habitat and geology

The principal vegetation covering the area may be described as Combretum-Cymbopogon Wooded Savanna with Undifferentiated Semi-deciduous Moist Thicket (Langdale-Brown et al. 1964). There are grassland and bushed grassland patches with small trees and shrubs on rocky ground. Both Aloe mubendiensis and Sansevieria lineata (Dracaena bugandana) are observed to grow on granite inselbergs in small pockets of soil on rock surfaces (Forrest 2013; Cole & Forrest 2017).

The bedrock of the area is characterized by the Palaeoproterozoic Rwenzori (or Buganda-Toro) Fold Belt and by the Archaean Uganda craton (also called the Uganda Gneiss Complex). The area is underlain by granitic rock outcrops (Mäkitie et al. 2014).

The area experiences a double maxima rainfall regime with mean annual rainfall ranging from 800 – 1150 mm. The first rains begin in late March to May and second rains begin in late August to early November, sometimes stretching into December (JBN Consult & Planners 2021).

Conservation issues

The whole of Mubende-Kyegegwa IPA is not under any formal protection. A number of activities are therefore going on unabated. These include periodic burning (Cole & Forrest 2017), but most succulent plants like aloes and sansevierias are adapted to this, unless the fire is very intense and frequent. Habitat destruction from farming is minimal owing to the unsuitability of rocky areas for cultivation, but there is some limited agricultural activity including domestic livestock grazing, reducing habitat quality. Quarrying of the rocks for production of construction materials has been reported but it seems to be of only very limited at present. However, this is considered to be a significant threat to both Aloe mubendiensis and Sansevieria lineata in the future and it is likely to cause total destruction of the rock outcrops when it occurs. The Uganda Investment Authority lists quarrying as one of the investment opportunities in this area (UIA, undated). NEMA (2019) also reports presence of medium-grained granites which have potential for stone production. The Kampala-Hoima highway is currently being upgraded, hence there might be sourcing of construction material from the rocky and gravelly hills on which the aloe grows, reducing habitat quality.

Limited harvesting of materials for various purposes occurs in the IPA. Aloe mubendiensis is known to be extracted for treatment of some ailments, notably hypertension, febrile convulsions, and whooping cough (Anywar et al. 2021). There is also harvesting of woody plants for fuelwood, and this continues to increase with rise in human population size. This increase in population in surrounding communities poses a more general threat of rising pressure on natural habitats.

Ecosystem services

Gathering of plants for traditional medicine and other uses is ongoing. Anywar et al. (2021) report Aloe mubendiensis as being used for medicinal purposes, including treatment of hypertension, febrile convulsions, and whooping cough. Some local hunting of animals for bushmeat occurs within this IPA.

Site assessor(s)

James Kalema, Makerere University Herbarium

Samuel Ojelel, Makerere University Herbarium

Iain Darbyshire, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

Sophie Richards, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

IPA criterion A species

Species Qualifying sub-criterion ≥ 1% of global population ≥ 5% of national population 1 of 5 best sites nationally Entire global population Socio-economically important Abundance at site
Aloe mubendiensis Christian A(i) True True True False True Frequent
Dracaena bugandana Byng & Christenh. A(i) True True True True False Occasional

Aloe mubendiensis Christian

Qualifying sub-criterion:
A(i)
≥ 1% of global population:
True
≥ 5% of national population:
True
1 of 5 best sites nationally:
True
Entire global population:
False
Socio-economically important:
True
Abundance at site:
Frequent

Dracaena bugandana Byng & Christenh.

Qualifying sub-criterion:
A(i)
≥ 1% of global population:
True
≥ 5% of national population:
True
1 of 5 best sites nationally:
True
Entire global population:
True
Socio-economically important:
False
Abundance at site:
Occasional

General site habitats

General site habitat Percent coverage Importance
Savanna - Dry Savanna No value Major
Shrubland - Subtropical/Tropical Dry Shrubland No value Minor
Grassland - Subtropical/Tropical Dry Lowland Grassland No value Minor
Rocky Areas - Rocky Areas [e.g. inland cliffs, mountain peaks] No value Major
Artificial - Terrestrial - Rural Gardens No value Minor
Artificial - Terrestrial - Arable Land No value Minor

Savanna - Dry Savanna

Percent coverage:
No value
Importance:
Major

Shrubland - Subtropical/Tropical Dry Shrubland

Percent coverage:
No value
Importance:
Minor

Grassland - Subtropical/Tropical Dry Lowland Grassland

Percent coverage:
No value
Importance:
Minor

Rocky Areas - Rocky Areas [e.g. inland cliffs, mountain peaks]

Percent coverage:
No value
Importance:
Major

Artificial - Terrestrial - Rural Gardens

Percent coverage:
No value
Importance:
Minor

Artificial - Terrestrial - Arable Land

Percent coverage:
No value
Importance:
Minor

Land use types

Land use type Percent coverage Importance
Agriculture (arable) No value Minor
Harvesting of wild resources No value Minor
Extractive industry No value Minor
Agriculture (pastoral) No value Unknown

Agriculture (arable)

Percent coverage:
No value
Importance:
Minor

Harvesting of wild resources

Percent coverage:
No value
Importance:
Minor

Extractive industry

Percent coverage:
No value
Importance:
Minor

Agriculture (pastoral)

Percent coverage:
No value
Importance:
Unknown

Threats

Threat Severity Timing
Agriculture & aquaculture - Annual & perennial non-timber crops - Small-holder farming Medium Ongoing - increasing
Agriculture & aquaculture - Livestock farming & ranching - Small-holder grazing, ranching or farming Medium Ongoing - increasing
Energy production & mining - Mining & quarrying Medium Ongoing - increasing
Transportation & service corridors - Roads & railroads Low Ongoing - stable
Transportation & service corridors - Utility & service lines Low Ongoing - stable
Biological resource use - Hunting & collecting terrestrial animals Low Ongoing - stable
Biological resource use - Gathering terrestrial plants Low Ongoing - stable
Biological resource use - Logging & wood harvesting Low Ongoing - increasing
Human intrusions & disturbance - Work & other activities Low Ongoing - increasing
Natural system modifications - Fire & fire suppression - Increase in fire frequency/intensity Medium Ongoing - stable
Invasive & other problematic species, genes & diseases - Invasive non-native/alien species/diseases Low Ongoing - increasing

Agriculture & aquaculture - Annual & perennial non-timber crops - Small-holder farming

Severity:
Medium
Timing:
Ongoing - increasing

Agriculture & aquaculture - Livestock farming & ranching - Small-holder grazing, ranching or farming

Severity:
Medium
Timing:
Ongoing - increasing

Energy production & mining - Mining & quarrying

Severity:
Medium
Timing:
Ongoing - increasing

Transportation & service corridors - Roads & railroads

Severity:
Low
Timing:
Ongoing - stable

Transportation & service corridors - Utility & service lines

Severity:
Low
Timing:
Ongoing - stable

Biological resource use - Hunting & collecting terrestrial animals

Severity:
Low
Timing:
Ongoing - stable

Biological resource use - Gathering terrestrial plants

Severity:
Low
Timing:
Ongoing - stable

Biological resource use - Logging & wood harvesting

Severity:
Low
Timing:
Ongoing - increasing

Human intrusions & disturbance - Work & other activities

Severity:
Low
Timing:
Ongoing - increasing

Natural system modifications - Fire & fire suppression - Increase in fire frequency/intensity

Severity:
Medium
Timing:
Ongoing - stable

Invasive & other problematic species, genes & diseases - Invasive non-native/alien species/diseases

Severity:
Low
Timing:
Ongoing - increasing

Conservation designation

Designation name Protected area Relationship with IPA Areal overlap
Kyenjojo-Mubende inselberg Key Biodiversity Area protected/conservation area overlaps with IPA No value

Kyenjojo-Mubende inselberg

Protected area:
Key Biodiversity Area
Relationship with IPA:
protected/conservation area overlaps with IPA
Areal overlap:
No value

Management type

Management type Description Year started Year finished
No management plan in place No value No value

No management plan in place

Year started:
No value
Year finished:
No value

Bibliography

White, A.F., 1983

The vegetation of Africa. A descriptive memoir to accompany the UNESCO/AETFAT/UNSO vegetation map of Africa

Cole, T. & Forrest, T., 2017

Aloes of Uganda. A Field Guide.

Langdale-Brown, I., Osmaston, H. A., & Wilson, J. G., 1964

The Vegetation of Uganda and its Bearing on Land-Use

Anywar, G., Tugume, P. & Kakudidi, E. K., 2021

A review of Aloe species used in traditional medicine in East Africa

South African Journal of Botany, Vol 147, page(s) 1027-1041

Forrest, T. G., 2013

Sansevieria lineata sp. nova, a striking new species of Sansevieria from Uganda (Asparagaceae)

Sansevieria, Vol 30, page(s) 10-12

JBN Consults & Planners, 2021

Uganda Multi-Sectoral Food Security and Nutrition Project (P-149286)-Additional Finance: Environmental and Social Management Framework. A report submitted to Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries

Rotton, H., Kalema, J., Ojelel, S. & Richards, S. L., 2022

Dracaena bugandana. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2022: e.T216247781A216662305

Yinger, B. R. & Sikawa, R. A., 2023

New reports of East African Sansevieria species in Tanzania

Sansevieria, Vol 51, page(s) 11-16

Uganda Investment Authority - UIA, Undated

Kyegegwa district investment profile

Mäkitie, H., Härmä, P., Virransalo, P., de Kock, G., Lugaizi, I. & Tumwine, A., 2014

The granite batholith of Mubende, Uganda: preliminary results on its petrography, geochemistry and construction rock potential

Geological Survey of Finland, Special Paper, Vol 56, page(s) 251-272

Recommended citation

James Kalema, Samuel Ojelel, Iain Darbyshire, Sophie Richards (2024) Tropical Important Plant Areas Explorer: Mubende-Kyegegwa (Uganda). https://tipas.kew.org/site/mubende-kyegegwa/ (Accessed on 07/11/2024)