A biogeographical appraisal of the threatened South East Africa Montane Archipelago ecoregion.

Recent biological surveys of ancient inselbergs in southern Malawi and northern Mozambique have led to the discovery and description of many species new to science, and overlapping centres of endemism across multiple taxa. Combining these endemic taxa with data on geology and climate, we propose the 'South East Africa Montane Archipelago' (SEAMA) as a distinct ecoregion of global biological importance. The ecoregion encompasses 30 granitic inselbergs reaching > 1000 m above sea level, hosting the largest (Mt Mabu) and smallest (Mt Lico) mid-elevation rainforests in southern Africa, as well as biologically unique montane grasslands. Endemic taxa include 127 plants, 45 vertebrates (amphibians, reptiles, birds, mammals) and 45 invertebrate species (butterflies, freshwater crabs), and two endemic genera of plants and reptiles. Existing dated phylogenies of endemic animal lineages suggests this endemism arose from divergence events coinciding with repeated isolation of these mountains from the pan-African forests, together with the mountains' great age and relative climatic stability. Since 2000, the SEAMA has lost 18% of its primary humid forest cover (up to 43% in some sites)-one of the highest deforestation rates in Africa. Urgently rectifying this situation, while addressing the resource needs of local communities, is a global priority for biodiversity conservation.

Reflective functioning and mother-infant relationships among mothers with Borderline Personality Disorder post-therapy.

The stressful nature of parenting infants exacerbates the characteristics of Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD). Consequently, mothers with BPD tend to be emotionally dysregulated, respond impulsively to their infants, and have poorer mother-infant relationships. Few parenting interventions target the specific skill deficits observed in mothers with BPD. This study explored the differences in parental reflective functioning (PRF) and mother-infant relationship quality at baseline and following a 24-week, group parenting intervention for mothers with BPD. PRF and mother-infant relationship quality were assessed from quantitative (N = 23) and qualitative (N = 32) perspectives. Quantitative data (Parental Reflective Functioning Questionnaire) showed a significant improvement in one of the three subscales, Interest and Curiosity, between baseline and post-intervention, and a significant moderate positive association between the subscale Certainty of Mental States and maternal-infant interaction quality post-intervention. Improvements in mother-infant relationship quality were not evident from the observational measure, Nursing Child Assessment Satellite Teaching scale. In contrast, semi-structured interview qualitative data found maternal improvements in parental reflection, coping strategies implemented post-intervention, and quality of mother-infant relationships. Overwhelmingly positive intervention feedback suggested perceived maternal benefits of group format and skills taught. Future studies with larger sample sizes would allow further clarification of such parenting interventions for mothers with BPD.

La naturaleza estresante de criar infantes agudiza las características del Trastorno Límite de la Personalidad (BPD). Por tanto, madres con BPD tienden a estar emocionalmente no reguladas, responder impulsivamente a sus infantes y tener relaciones madre-infante de menor calidad. Pocas intervenciones de crianza se centran en los específicos déficits de habilidades observados en madres con BPD. El presente estudio exploró diferencias en el funcionamiento con reflexión del progenitor y la calidad de la relación madre-infante al punto inicial y al del seguimiento a 24 semanas de la intervención de crianza en grupo para madres con BPD. Se evaluó el funcionamiento con reflexión del progenitor y la relación madre-infante desde la perspectiva cuantitativa (N=23) y cualitativa (N=32). Datos cuantitativos (Cuestionario del Funcionamiento con Reflexión del Progenitor) mostraron un significativo adelanto en una de tres subescalas, Interés y Curiosidad, entre el punto inicial y posterior a la intervención, y una significativa moderada asociación positiva entre la subescala Certeza de Estados Mentales y la calidad de la interacción materno-infantil al momento posterior a la intervención. Las mejoras en la calidad de la relación madre-infante no fueron evidentes con la medida de observación, la escala de la Enseñanza Satélite de Evaluación del Niño Lactante. En contraste, datos cualitativos de entrevista semiestructurada encontraron mejoras maternas en la reflexión del progenitor, estrategias de cómo arreglárselas puestas en práctica después de la intervención, y en la calidad de las relaciones madre-infante. La abrumadoramente positiva información sobre la intervención sugirió que había una percepción materna de beneficios del formato de grupo y las habilidades que se enseñaban. Estudios futuros con grupos mayores permitirán clarificaciones adicionales de tales intervenciones de crianza para madres con BPD.

La nature stressante du parentage des nourrissons exacerbe les caractéristiques du Trouble de la Personnalité Limite (TPL). Par conséquent les mères avec un TPL ont tendance à être émotionnellement dérégulées, réagissant de manière impulsive à leurs bébés et ont des relations mère-bébé moins bonnes. Peu d'interventions de parentage visent les déficits de compétence spécifiques qui sont observés chez les mères avec un TPL. Cette étude a exploré les différences qu'on trouve dans le fonctionnement de réflexion parental et la qualité de la relation mère-bébé au départ et après une intervention de groupe de parentage pour des mères avec un TPL, de 24 semaines. Le fonctionnement parental de réflexion et la qualité de la relation mère-bébé ont été évalués à partir de perspectives quantitatives (N=23) et qualitatives (N=32). Les données quantitatives (Questionnaire de Fonctionnement de Réflexion parental ont montré une amélioration importante dans l'une des trois sous-échelles, Intérêt et Curiosité, entre le départ de l'intervention et la post-intervention, ainsi qu'un lien positive modéré important entre la sous-échelles Certitude des Etats Mentaux et la qualité de l'interaction maternelle-bébé après l'intervention. On n'a pas trouvé d'améliorations de la qualité de la relation mère-bébé à partir de la mesure d'observation échelle d'Formation Satellite de l'Evaluation du Nourrisson. Par contre les données qualitatives de l'entretien semi-structuré a révélé des améliorations maternelles dans la réflexion parentale, dans des stratégies d'adaptation mises en place après l'intervention et dans la qualité des relations mère-bébé. Les retours de l'intervention extrêmement positifs ont suggéré que des bénéfices maternels perçus du format de groupe et des compétences enseignées. Des études avec des échantillons plus grands permettraient une clarification plus poussée sur de telles interventions avec des mères avec un TPL.

An updated checklist of Mozambique's vascular plants.

An updated checklist of Mozambique's vascular plants is presented. It was compiled referring to several information sources such as existing literature, relevant online databases and herbaria collections. The checklist includes 7,099 taxa (5,957 species, 605 subspecies, 537 varieties), belonging to 226 families and 1,746 genera. There are 6,804 angiosperms, 257 pteridophytes, and 38 gymnosperms. A total of 6,171 taxa are native to Mozambique, while 602 are introduced and the remaining 326 taxa were considered as uncertain status. The endemism level for Mozambique's flora was assessed at 9.59%, including 278 strict-endemic taxa and 403 near-endemic. 58.2% of taxa are herbaceous, while shrubs and trees account respectively for 26.5% and 9.2% of the taxa. The checklist also includes ferns (3.6%), lianas (1.7%), subshrubs (0.5%) and cycads (0.3%). Fabaceae, Poaceae and Asteraceae are the three most represented families, with 891, 543 and 428 taxa, respectively. The extinction risk of 1,667 taxa is included, with 158 taxa listed as Vulnerable, 119 as Endangered and as 24 Critically Endangered. The geographical distribution, known vernacular names and plants traditional uses are also recorded.

The endemic plants of Mozambique: diversity and conservation status.

An annotated checklist of the 271 strict-endemic taxa (235 species) and 387 near-endemic taxa (337 species) of vascular plants in Mozambique is provided. Together, these taxa constitute c. 9.3% of the total currently known flora of Mozambique and include five strict-endemic genera (Baptorhachis, Emicocarpus, Gyrodoma, Icuria and Micklethwaitia) and two near-endemic genera (Triceratella and Oligophyton). The mean year of first publication of these taxa is 1959, with a marked increase in description noted following the onset of the two major regional floristic programmes, the "Flora of Tropical East Africa" and "Flora Zambesiaca", and an associated increase in botanical collecting effort. New taxa from Mozambique continue to be described at a significant rate, with 20 novelties described in 2018. Important plant families for endemic and near-endemic taxa include Fabaceae, Rubiaceae and Euphorbiaceae s.s. There is a high congruence between species-rich plant families and endemism with the notable exceptions of the Poaceae, which is the second-most species rich plant family, but outside of the top ten families in terms of endemism, and the Euphorbiaceae, which is the seventh-most species rich plant family, but third in terms of endemism. A wide range of life-forms are represented in the endemic and near-endemic flora, with 49% being herbaceous or having herbaceous forms and 55% being woody or having woody forms. Manica Province is by far the richest locality for near-endemic taxa, highlighting the importance of the cross-border Chimanimani-Nyanga (Manica) Highlands shared with Zimbabwe. A total of 69% of taxa can be assigned to one of four cross-border Centres of Endemism: the Rovuma Centre, the Maputaland Centre sensu lato, and the two mountain blocks, Chimanimani-Nyanga and Mulanje-Namuli-Ribaue. Approximately 50% of taxa have been assessed for their extinction risk and, of these, just over half are globally threatened (57% for strict-endemics), with a further 10% (17% for strict-endemics) currently considered to be Data Deficient, highlighting the urgent need for targeted conservation of Mozambique's unique flora. This dataset will be a key resource for ongoing efforts to identify "Important Plant Areas - IPAs" in Mozambique, and to promote the conservation and sustainable management of these critical sites and species, thus enabling Mozambique to meet its commitments under the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD).

ResumoApresenta-se a lista das plantas vasculares de Moçambique, que compreende 271 taxa endémicos (235 espécies) e 387 taxa quase-endémicos (337 espécies). Estes taxa constituem cerca de 9,3% da flora total actualmente conhecida em Moçambique e incluem cinco géneros estritamente endémicos (Baptorhachis, Emicocarpus, Gyrodoma, Icuria e Micklethwaitia) e dois géneros quase-endémicos (Triceratella e Oligophyton). O ano médio das primeiras publicações destes taxa é 1959. Um aumento significativo na descrição de espécies novas foi verificado, relacionado com o início de dois projectos regionais, a "Flora of Tropical East Africa" e a "Flora Zambesiaca", permitindo um esforço maior de colheitas botânicas. Novos taxa têm vindo a ser descritos a um ritmo significativo, com 20 novas espécies descritas em 2018 para a flora de Moçambique. As famílias Fabaceae, Rubiaceae e Euphorbiaceae, incluem importantes taxa endémicos e quase-endémicos. Existe uma estreita relação entre as famílias de plantas com elevado número de espécies e o grau de endemismo, excepção feita às Poaceae, que embora seja a segunda família mais rica em espécies não se posiciona no grupo das dez principais famílias em termos de endemismo. Por outro lado a família Euphorbiaceae, que é a sétima mais rica em espécies, posiciona-se em terceiro lugar quanto ao número de endemismo. A flora endémica apresenta diferentes formas de vida, sendo 49% das espécies herbáceas e 55% lenhosas. A Província de Manica é o local mais rico em taxa quase-endémicos, realçando assim a importância da área transfronteiriça Chimanimani-Nyanga (Manica) entre Moçambique e Zimbabwe. Refira-se ainda que 69% dos taxa encontra-se num dos quatro centros de endemismo transfronteiriços: o Centro do Rovuma, o Centro de Maputaland sensu lato e nas regiões montanhosas de Chimanimani-Nyanga e Mulanje-Namuli-Ribáuè. Cerca de 50% dos taxa foram avaliados quanto ao risco de extinção, estando mais da metade ameaçados globalmente (57% de endemismos) e 10% (17% de endemismos) foram incluídos na categoria Informação Insuficiente (DD), revelando que a maioria das plantas endémicas de Moçambique necessitam de conservação urgente. Este estudo fornece novos dados indispensáveis à identificação das "Áreas Importantes de Plantas ­ IPAs" em Moçambique, contribuindo ainda para implementar as estratégias de conservação anteriormente estabelecidas pela Convenção sobre a Diversidade Biológica (CBD).