Abstract
Understanding the complex diversity of species and their potential uses in traditional agroforestry systems is crucial for enhancing the productivity of tropical systems and ensuring the sustainability of the natural resource base. The aim of this study is the evaluation of the role of home gardens and parklands, which are prominent tropical agroforestry systems, in the conservation and management of biodiversity. Our study quantified and compared the diversity of woody and herbaceous perennial species and their uses in traditional home gardens and parkland agroforestry systems under a sub-humid climate in western Ethiopia. A sociological survey of 130 household respondents revealed 14 different uses of the species, mostly for shade, fuelwood, food, and as traditional medicine. Vegetation inventory showed that the Fisher’s α diversity index and species richness were significantly higher in home gardens (Fisher’s α = 5.28 ± 0.35) than in parklands (Fisher’s α = 1.62 ± 0.18). Both systems were significantly different in species composition (Sørenson’s similarity coefficient = 35%). The differences occurred primarily because of the high intensity of management and the cultivation of exotic tree species in the home gardens, whereas parklands harbored mostly native flora owing to the deliberate retention and assisted regeneration by farmers. In home gardens, Mangifera indica L. was the most important woody species, followed by Cordia africana Lam. and Coffea arabica L. On the other hand, Syzygium guineense Wall. was the most important species in parklands, followed by C. africana and M. indica. The species diversity of agroforestry practices must be further augmented with both indigenous and useful, non-invasive exotic woody and herbaceous species, particularly in parklands that showed lower than expected species diversity compared to home-gardens.
Highlights
Tropical forests are vital hosts of global biodiversity as they support approximately two-thirds of all known species and contain 65% of the world’s endangered species [1]
Acknowledging that success in development is more likely when local knowledge is considered [49,52], there is a need to document the importance of indigenous knowledge for sustainable development of agroforestry [53]. By integrating both local knowledge and ecological assessment, the present study aimed to evaluate the role of home gardens and parklands, the two most prominent tropical agroforestry systems, in the conservation and management of native vegetation in Ethiopia, which covers several agro-climatic zones and is an important spot of tropical biodiversity, yet experiences serious deforestation and land degradation problems
In spite of the larger area sampled for parklands, the home gardens showed higher species richness and diversity than did parklands owing to better management and protection by family labor, secure land tenure, and because of the cultivation of exotic species
Summary
Tropical forests are vital hosts of global biodiversity as they support approximately two-thirds of all known species and contain 65% of the world’s endangered species [1]. The removal or destruction of forest cover resulted in significant losses of tropical and global biodiversity, owing to the destruction of forest-based habitats and species [2]. Deforestation is primarily a concern for developing countries in the tropics [4,5], where significant agricultural demand for land is often coupled with a lack of economic incentives for forest. In Ethiopia, the rapid expansion of agricultural land and the degradation of forests are associated with rapid human population growth (2.5% per year), with the population largely depending on extensive agriculture. In particular, is characterized by the largest number of livestock in Africa, and increasingly claims land and forest resources [7]
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