ABSTRACT

Fire-induced conversion of montane forest into heath scrubland severely reduces diversity of geometrid moths. This chapter explores how the fire-induced changes affect herbivorous insects along the upper forest margins and in forest remnants. It investigates changes in species composition and diversity of nocturnal geometrid moth communities along an altitudinal transect covering intact closed forests below 3000 m, a mosaic of forest remnants and heath-land at 3100 m, and heathland vegetation at 3300 m. In the study area, three subfamilies of geometrid moths, Larentiinae, Ennominae, and Geometrinae, are largely represented and can be found along the whole altitudinal gradient. Mt. Kilimanjaro, the highest mountain in Africa, is situated 300 km south of the equator in Tanzania. Within the Mt. Kilimanjaro area, the study sites are located in the southwest part of the mountain along the Machame tourist route below the Shira plateau, along an altitudinal gradient from 2300 to 3300 m.