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Summary: Descriptions and illustrations are presented for three new species to science, Vepris udzungwa Cheek, V. lukei Cheek (both Udzungwa Mts, Tanzania), and V. robertsoniae Q.Luke & Cheek (SE Kenyan kaya forests), in the context of a synoptic taxonomic revision and with an identification key to all the known unifoliolate taxa of Vepris in continental Africa. The new species are described and illustrated, while the remaining 10 taxa are given skeletal taxonomic treatments (lacking descriptions). One widespread species in montane eastern Africa is renamed as V. simplex Cheek because its previous name, V. simplicifolia (Engl.) Mziray, is predated by V. simplicifolia Endl. (basionym of Sarcomelicope simplicifolia (Endl.) T.G.Hartley, a widespread species of Australia, Lord Howe and Norfolk Islands, and of New Caledonia). The new combination Vepris hanangensis var. unifoliolata (Kokwaro) Cheek is made. Full or provisional conservation assessments are presented for all species using the IUCN 2012 standard. Of the 13 taxa, nine are considered threatened or near threatened, of which one is Near Threatened, three are Vulnerable, two Endangered, and three Critically Endangered, with two of the latter, both of the Uluguru Mts of Tanzania, possibly extinct globally, although not yet assessed on the IUCN Red List. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three new species of the family Pyrgodesmidae Silvestri, 1896 from the Udzungwa Mountains are described: Cryptocorypha geminiramus sp. nov., Cryptocorypha cactifer sp. nov., and Cryptocorypha exovo sp. nov. Several additional, unidentifiable pyrgodesmids from the Udzungwa Mountains are recorded. Elythesmus enghoffi Hoffman, 1978 (Cryptodesmidae Karsch, 1880), is recorded from the East Usambara (type locality), West Usambara, Uluguru, Nguru (Kanga) and Udzungwa Mountains, and its variation in size and body ring numbers is analyzed. The surface sculpture of pro- and metazonites is discussed.

The fauna of the millipede family Odontopygidae in the Eastern Arc Mountains of Tanzania is reviewed. Species from the North Pare, South Pare, West Usambara, East Usambara, Nguru, Rubeho, Uluguru and Rungwe Mts are treated. The odontopygids of the Udzungwa Mts have been subject of a series of previous papers and are only treated marginally. Six new genera and 25 new species are described: Antipustia gen. nov., Aptyctosmilax gen. nov., Multipronopea gen. nov., Notogallanus gen. nov., Praludivera gen. nov., Uncodrama gen. nov., Antipustia hoteldolichoiuli gen. et sp. nov., Aptyctosmilax helenae gen. et sp. nov., Calyptomastix ingemanni sp. nov., Calyptomastix vuasu sp. nov., Calyptomastix xystopygoides sp. nov., Calyptomastix zoltani sp. nov., Chaleponcus jolantae sp. nov., Chaleponcus nesrineae sp. nov., Chaleponcus schioetzae sp. nov., Chaleponcus sergeii sp. nov., Chaleponcus soerensenae sp. nov., Geotypodon cristinae sp. nov., Lamelloramus frederiksenae sp. nov., Multipronopea agneteae gen. et sp. nov., Notogallanus mastacembalus gen. et sp. nov., Praludivera paralellamella gen. et sp. nov., Raduliverpa donatellae sp. nov., Spinotarsus axeli sp. nov., Syndesmogenus estelleae sp. nov., Uncodrama coronata gen. et sp. nov., Xystopyge bentemarieae sp. nov., Xystopyge doggartae sp. nov., Xystopyge hippocampus sp. nov., Xystopyge minnae sp. nov., and Xystopyge voluntariorum sp. nov. The discussion focuses on diversity and distribution patterns, the justification for monotypic (monospecific) genera, and the following morphological character types: the ozopore series, the limbus, the number of setae on the anal valves, the first pair of male legs, the gonopod sternum, and the sternum of the rudimentary 9th leg-pair.

The study reports pesticide residue concentrations detected in sample matrices as follows: Water: parathion 0.34, β-endosulfan 0.04, p, p-DDT 0.1, α-HCH 0.172, dieldrin 0.19, α-endosulfan 0.02 and marathion 0.22 µg/l. Soil: parathion 45.46, α-HCH 4.64, γ-HCH 0.44, β-endosulfan 3.09, p, p-DDT 23.75, p, p-DDD 1.34, p, p-DDE 0.98, dieldrin 3.87, α-endosulfan 0.82, marathion 17.51, δ-HCH 5.19 and β-HCH 33.4 µg/kg. Sediments: parathion 210.71, α-HCH 51.71, γ-HCH 14.09, β-endosulfan 23.05, p, p-DDT 187.89, p, p-DDD 86.19, o, p-DDE 6.21, dieldrin 4.58, marathion 155.9, δ-HCH 6.85 and β-HCH 15.18 µg/kg. Organochlorine pesticides were detected in many samples, whereas carbamate pesticides were detected in few samples but in higher concentrations. Integrated Pest Management is preferable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the implication of fire on tree species diversity in northwest Uluguru Nature Forest Reserve (UNFR). The study compared tree species diversity between burned and unburned areas, and determined whether burned and unburned areas depicted any variation in stages of succession. Tree species samples were drawn from eighteen stands, and tree species data were ordinate using Nonmetric Multidimensional Scaling (NMS or NMDS) (PC-ORD version 5.10) to describe relationships (similarity and dissimilarities) between tree species, forest succession, and the effect of fire on tree species. Species richness did not vary significantly between burned and unburned plots. However, species composition was high in burned stands, which contributed to a high basal area in burned stands. Unburned stands had low species composition and low basal area. Fire intolerant tree species dominated unburned areas while species in the burned areas were fire adapted. A few species existed in burned and unburned stands. Trees in burned areas are still at a young succession stage while in unburned stands vegetation development has reached a succession stage that the vegetation is stable with hardwood forest formation. A sustainable management plan for the UNFR must base on empirical data on fire regime variation over space and time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Securing sustainable upstream land-use externalities internalization in developing countries' water catchments continues to be a serious challenge. Uluguru water catchment in Tanzania presents a compelling case for analysis. The catchment is currently under downstream–upstream conservation subsidy arrangement. However, lack of information on the long-term impacts of the approach on the functioning and distribution of benefits threatens its sustainability. Based on system dynamics framework, this study developed an integrated ecological-economic model to evaluate the long-term impacts of this arrangement on the functioning and distribution of benefits. The model was also used to compare the arrangement with other economic instruments in the same respect. Simulation results indicate that the scheme has a potential of securing conservation goals without compromising upstream well-being. Taxing crop inputs and outputs also has a potential securing conservation goal, but at the expense of upstream well-being. Tax cuts on inputs to tree fruit and basic domestic goods also secure conservation goals without compromising upstream well-being. These results show that a downstream–upstream subsidy scheme is better for achieving upstream land use externalities internalization without compromising distribution of benefits among beneficiaries and well-being of upstream land holders than taxing crop inputs and outputs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]