Variety of life forms of Ghana
The wildlife of
Ghana
is composed of its
biodiversity
of
flora
and
fauna
.
Biodiversity
[
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]
Fungi
[
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]
Ghana is home to a significant number of
fungi
species including:
Aspergillus flavus
;
Athelia rolfsii
;
Auricularia auricula-judae
;
Curvularia
;
Fusarium oxysporum
;
Fusarium solani
f.sp.
pisi
;
Gibberella intricans
;
Gibberella stilboides
; and
Macrophomina phaseolina
.
[1]
The true total number of fungal species occurring in Ghana is in the thousands and given the generally accepted estimate that only about 7 percent of all fungi worldwide have so far been discovered and that the amount of available information is still very small.
[1]
Flora
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The
flora
of Ghana is diverse with both indigenous and introduced
floral
species considered in Ghana's floral diversity.
[2]
A total of some 3,600 species of the major regional centres of
endemism
represent the three major
taxonomic groups
.
[2]
Floral diversity is more pronounced among the
angiosperms
represented with well over 2,974 indigenous and 253 introduced species in Ghana.
[3]
Among the various vegetation types of the
tropical rain forest
, it is the wet
evergreen
forest type in the southwestern
Ashanti-Kwahu
Plain
that exhibits the highest level of endemism and species richness in Ghana.
[3]
Flora species diversity and
endemism
in the
savanna
biomes
in Ghana is very sparse and
biological
diversity of species in the Ghanaian savanna
woodlands
and
gallery forests
of the savannas show greater species richness than the dry savannas.
[3]
Within Ghana, there are areas of high biological diversity, referred to as prime biological locations; such as the
Ankasa
and
Nini-Suhien
Conservation Area
in the southwestern Ashanti-Kwahu erea
terrestrial plain
of Ghana, in where the climatic diversity is greater.
[3]
There are also
Encephalartos barteri
, and
gymnosperm
indigenous to Ghana; others growing in various Ghanaian
ecological zones
are introduced species for purposes including aesthetics and economic.
[3]
The third
taxonomic group
;
pteridophytes
, is well represented in Ghana with 124 known species.
[3]
Fauna
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]
Ghana has a vast array of fauna and they are of great significance, as some of Ghana's fauna have attained conservation status because of the current rate of decline in their number and distribution.
[4]
The fauna of the Ghanaian terrestrial
ecosystem
, comprise a diverse array of species including several of conservation concern.
[4]
Ghanaian records show that there is as many as 221 species of
amphibians
and
reptiles
, 724 species of birds, 225
mammalian
species inhabiting Ghana; with 93 recorded to be inhabiting the Ghanaian
savanna
ecological zone.
[4]
As with floral diversity, prime locations for faunal diversity is located in the Ghanaian high forest uplands; accounting for 83% of the total number of butterfly species recorded in Ghana, where
canopy
stratification and
micro-climatic
differentiation have provided habitats and niches for specific faunal organisms.
[4]
Endemism
among Ghanaian terrestrial fauna has been observed in three species of
frogs
;
Hyperolius baumanni
;
Hyperolius fusciventris
; and
Hyperolius sylvaticus
; and the
lizards
; and
Agama sylvanus
found in the Ghanaian Bia Forest Reserve and the Atwema Range
Forest Reserve
.
[4]
Ghana has a high degree of
butterfly
endemism where more than 20 species are classified endemic or near-endemic.
[4]
Ghana is home to 84 known
amphibian
species: 78 frogs, 5
toads
and
caecilians
.
[4]
Threatened species recorded in Ghana include four species of
marine turtles
and three species of
crocodiles
.
[4]
Bird species of conservation concern include seven threatened species, including four species endemic to the
Upper Guinea
forest block and seven near-threatened species.
[4]
Keystone species such as
hornbills
,
parrots
and
birds of prey
(
eagles
) are well represented in Ghana.
[4]
Of the 728 birds species confirmed to be occurring in Ghana; 408 are non-passerines and 320
passerines
, of which 498 are known or thought to be resident and 176 are regular seasonal
bird migrants
, including 100 from the
Palearctic realm
.
[4]
Of the total number of species occurring; 180 restricted to the Guinea-Congo
forests
biome
and 37 restricted to the Sudan-Guinea
savanna
biome have been recorded in Ghana.
[4]
Eleven of the 15 endemic bird species within the Upper Guinea forest occur in Ghana.
[5]
Six of the total species are considered threatened and 12 are near-threatened.
[5]
Ghana is an important country for dozens of
vulnerable
,
threatened
,
endangered
,
critically endangered
or near-extinct mammalian species including the
primates
common chimpanzee
(
Pan troglodytes
) and
western red colobus
(
Piliocolobus badius
), the
big cats
lion
(
Panthera leo
) and
leopard
(
Panthera pardus
),
African bush elephant
(
Loxodonta africana
), and
water-birds
, being located on the boundary of the east Atlantic Ocean Flyway and Mediterranean Flyway. There are also several rare terrestrial birds, such as the
white-necked rockfowl
(
Picathartes gymnocephalus
).
[6]
Gallery
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References and notes
[
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]
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Sovereign states
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States with limited
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Dependencies and
other territories
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Sovereign states
| |
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States with limited
recognition
| |
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Dependencies and
other territories
| |
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