Geotourism, Iconic Landforms and Island-Style Speciation Patterns in National Parks of East Africa

East Africa's national parks, renowned for their iconic landforms and biodiversity, showcase remarkable geotourism potential shaped by the East African Rift System. The study highlights how rifting and volcanism, primarily Late Cenozoic phenomena, have dissected older plateaus, creating spectacular landscapes such as ribbon lakes, calderas, and free-standing mountains like Kilimanjaro and Mount Kenya. This geological activity has also driven rapid Darwinian evolution over the past 30 million years, leading to island-style speciation patterns despite the continental setting. The research emphasizes the significance of these processes in shaping both the region's geology and its unique biodiversity, including the endangered Mountain gorilla.

Scoon, R. N. (2020). Geotourism, Iconic Landforms and Island-Style Speciation Patterns in National Parks of East Africa. Geoheritage, 12(3). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12371-020-00486-z