University of Isfahan Taxonomy and Biosystematics 3115-9001 15 57 2023 12 22 Flora Resources of Mikumi National Park (MINAPA): An Insight for Enhancing Strategic Management and Conservation of Protected Areas (PAs) in Tanzania Flora Resources of Mikumi National Park (MINAPA): An Insight for Enhancing Strategic Management and Conservation of Protected Areas (PAs) in Tanzania 1 42 27918 10.22108/tbj.2023.138616.1237 EN John Bukombe Tanzania Wildlife Research Institute, P.O.Box 661, Arusha, Tanzania Pius Kavana Tanzania Wildlife Research Institute, P.O.Box 661, Arusha, Tanzania Wilfred Marealle Tanzania Wildlife Research Institute, P.O.Box 661, Arusha, Tanzania Ally Nkwabi Tanzania Wildlife Research Institute, P.O.Box 661, Arusha, Tanzania Cecilia Leweri Tanzania Wildlife Research Institute, P.O.Box 661, Arusha, Tanzania Rahabu Makongoro Tanzania Wildlife Research Institute, P.O.Box 661, Arusha, Tanzania Jerome Kimaro Tanzania Wildlife Research Institute, P.O.Box 661, Arusha, Tanzania Machoke Mwita Tanzania Wildlife Research Institute, P.O.Box 661, Arusha, Tanzania Hamza Kija Tanzania Wildlife Research Institute, P.O.Box 661, Arusha, Tanzania Raymond Okick Tanzania Wildlife Research Institute, P.O.Box 661, Arusha, Tanzania Edward Kohi Tanzania Wildlife Research Institute, P.O.Box 661, Arusha, Tanzania Julius Keyyu Tanzania Wildlife Research Institute, P.O.Box 661, Arusha, Tanzania Eblate Mjingo Tanzania Wildlife Research Institute, P.O.Box 661, Arusha, Tanzania Lazaro Mangewa Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA), P.O. Box 3073 Morogoro Joely Efraim Moshi Co-operative University, P.O. Box 474, Moshi, Tanzania Frank Mbago University of Dar Es Salaam, College of Natural Science, Department of Botany, P.O. Box 35091, Dar Es Salaam Journal Article 2023 08 06 The flora within Protected Areas (PAs) plays a crucial role in providing essential resources for wildlife, including forage, shelter, breeding sites, and water. However, the current understanding of the floristic composition of Mikumi National Park (MINAPA) is limited, hindering the implementation of effective conservation and management strategies. This study aimed to update the plant species records for MINAPA based on the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group (APG) IV classification by analyzing the data from unpublished surveys conducted between the 1960s and 1990s, as well as a more recent survey in 2021. A total of 951 species records were compiled, representing 504 genera and 124 families. Among these, 35 species were listed in the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) red list with 15 (1.6%) classified as Vulnerable (VU), 7 (0.7%) as Near Threatened (NT), 10 (1.0%) as Endangered (EN), and 3 (0.3%) as Critically Endangered (CR). Additionally, 16 species were found to be endemic to Tanzania. The data from the 1960s-1990s surveys revealed 778 species distributed across 421 genera and 106 families with 12 (1.5%) listed in the IUCN red list. Notably, 173 species (18.2%) were newly recorded in 2021 and distributed across 148 genera and 58 families. Among these newly recorded species, 21 (2.2%) were listed in the IUCN red list and 13 were found to be endemic to Tanzania. This study significantly enhanced our understanding of the flora of MINAPA and emphasized the importance of conducting regular surveys to update the status of floral resources in PAs, particularly where reports are based on outdated taxonomic nomenclature. These findings will contribute to the advancement of scientific research and management techniques, particularly in the context of ongoing changes in climatic conditions. https://tbj.ui.ac.ir/article_27918_7f29f43fa49cd4d83488ede0a9872f89.pdf