Ecology of Amphibians and Reptiles in the Albertine Rift

The study was executed in Mountain Rwenzori and Semliki Valley, an area known as a biodiversity hotspot with several endemics. The researchers were fascinated by the unique animal life in the mountains especially chameleons coming in close contact with rare endemics and some revered snakes, while the low lands exhibited a variety of amphibian life from the beautiful tree frogs to some rare snakes such as the powdered tree snake. The patterns of herpetile diversity observed among study sites indicate that landscape structure distinctively affects species richness. The results suggest that differences in land cover characteristics and gradient have important effects on biodiversity in the study area. The contribution of habitat elements to herpetilian species richness among study sites in areas with high elevation and low elevation suggest a more frequent exchange of species among heterogeneous habitats which are the low lands than in the homogeneous habitats in high elevations. Taxa-specific differences in habitat requirements and dispersal abilities among species are the likely causes for the differing species richness between the different study sites.