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Caldera
a
crater-like formation consisting of a round basin surrounded by steep
slopes. A caldera is formed
when a volcanic mountain collapses inward.
Ngorongoro Crater, Ngurdoto Crater, and Empekai Crater are
examples of calderas in Tanzania.
Cloud forest
tropical rain forest at a high
elevation
Crater
see caldera
Deep rift lakes
on the western border of
Tanzania, two large deep lakes, Lake Tanganyika and Lake Malawi (Lake
Nyasa), fill portions of Africa's Great Rift Valley.
These lakes provide unusual, isolated habitats for unique species
of fish - including many types of African cichlids.
Epiphyte
plant that is supported by
another plant -characteristic of rain forest.
Miombo woodland
a wooded moist savanna.
Rains
Tanzania experiences two peaks of
rain: March through May (long rains) and September through November
(short rains).
Rift valley
geological formation formed when
two of the earth's tectonic plates pull apart and the land mass between
them drops, forming a large valley.
The Great Rift Valley of Africa extends from Israel to
Mozambique. In southern
Ethiopa and Malawi, it splits into a western and eastern branch --then
the branches rejoin below Lake Malawi (Lake Nyasa).
The eastern branch extends through Kenya and Tanzania.
The Great Rift Valley contains many lakes and is bordered by
volcanoes.
Riverine
pertaining to a river area - such
as riverine forest.
Savanna
type of ecosystem characterized
by grassy plains dotted with sparse thorny trees;
a wooded moist savanna (35"-60" rain/year) is called a
miombo woodland, but most Tanzanian savanna is dry savanna (12-35"
rain/year), characterized by thorny trees such as acacias and bushes.
Soda lakes
also called alkaline lakes, soda
lakes form in drainage basins that have no outlet to the sea and that
are subject to dry seasons with large amounts of evaporation.
During dry periods, the water becomes salty and alkaline.
Tropical rain forest
moist forest that recieves over
60" rain/year; if there is a distinct dry season, it may be called
a tropical evergreen forest; all rain forests are characterized by high
diversity of species, including large canopy trees which also support
lianas (woody vines) and other epiphytes such as orchids.
Volcanic mountain
high sloped formation created by
volcanic
activity. In Tanzania, these
occur along the rim of the Great Rift Valley.
Mount Kilimanjaro, near the Tanzania's border with Kenya, is a
large volcanic mountain that is the highest point on the African
continent.
Water holes
throughout natural areas of East
Africa, many
water holes provide drinking water and habitat areas for wildlife. Some
water holes are spring-fed, some are remnants of rivers that are
infermittently dry, and some are formed when animals dig the earth down
to or below the water holes.
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