In view of the rapidly changing ecology of Africa ,this work provides benchmarks for some of the major, and more neglected, aspects, with an accent on historical data to enable habitats to be seen in relation to their previous state, forming a background reference work to understanding how the ecology of Africa has been shaped by its past. Reviewing historical data wherever possible it adopts an holistic view treating man as well as animals, with accent on diseases both human and animal which have been a potent force in shaping Africa’s ecology, a role neglected in ecological studies.
In view of the rapidly changing ecology of Africa ,this work provides benchmarks for some of the major, and more neglected, aspects, with an accent on historical data to enable habitats to be seen in relation to their previous state, forming a background reference work to understanding how the ecology of Africa has been shaped by its past. Reviewing historical data wherever possible it adopts an holistic view treating man as well as animals, with accent on diseases both human and animal which have been a potent force in shaping Africa’s ecology, a role neglected in ecological studies.
1. Introduction I: The Abiotic Environment.- 2. The changing climate of Africa.- Part I: Introduction and Eastern Africa.- 3. The changing climate of Africa.- Part II: West Africa and the Sahel.- 4. The changing climate of Africa Part III: Southern Africa.- 5. The changing climate of Africa Part IV: Its effects.- 6. Fire Part I: Introduction and History.- 7. Fire Part II: Effects and Ecolotgy.- The Floral Environment: 8. Vegetation and change: Introduction and Western Africa.- 9. Vegetation and change: Eastern and Southern Africa and conclusion.- Abundance of Populations.- 10. Locusts the forgotten plague I.- 11. Locusts the forgotten plague II.- 12. Other abundant populations.- 13. To many hippopotamuses?.- 14. Elephants - a continent-wide problem Part I.- 15. Elephants - continent-wide problem Part II.- 16. Elephants - a continent-wide problem Part III.- Animal Parasites and Diseases.- 17 The tsetse fly I: Africa's bane and benefice.- 18. The tsetse fly II: Decline and recovery.- 19. The Trypanosomiases I.- 20. The Trypanosomiases II.- 21. The Trypanosomiases III.- 22. Rinderpest, the great panzootic and its after effects.- 23. Zoonoses, animal and human diseases, endo and ectoparasites mainly mamal I.- 25. Epidemic disease in African history I: Micro and macro parasites, zoonoses, introduction, viral and protozoal diseases.- 26. Epidemic disease in African history II: Viral diseases.- 27. Epidemic disease in African history III: Bacterial and higher order infections.- 28. Epidemic disease in African history IV: Bubonic and pneumonic plague.- Conclusion.- 29. Man's place in the ecology of Africa.- Appendices.- Appendix I: Age of baobabs.- Appendix II: African mammal trypanosome host-parasite list
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