Abstract
The present study was conducted for the conservation and management of vegetation in a socio-ecological mountain landscape through assessment of floristic composition, community types and structure of woody species in the Wabe River catchment of the Gurage Mountains in Ethiopia. The preferential sampling technique was applied to collect floristic and vegetation structure data, and within each plot, woody species diameter at breast height (DBH) was measured. R statistical software was used to analyze the vegetation cluster, diversity and structure. As a result of the heterogeneous nature of the catchment vegetation, the optimum number of six clusters (community types) were identified which were named through high ranked species. The majority of the community types had high diversity indexes and equitability or evenness. Most of the species had lower DBH classes and frequency. Besides, the important value index (IVI) for most of the species showed high value. This information facilitated for sustaining the biodiversity through identification of high plant diversity spot community types to be protected, degraded vegetation areas to be rehabilitated and fragmented vegetation areas to establish ecological connectivity. Further studies on the ecosystem services provided by the vegetation could be important for understanding their value and to advance the planning and management mechanisms. Key words: Community type, floristic composition, diversity, equitability, structure, important value index (IVI), landscape planning.  
Highlights
Eighty-eight species belonging to 71 genera and 48 families were recorded from the study area
Out of the 3,632 total woody plant individuals which have diameter at breast height (DBH) > 5 cm recorded from the study area, the trees represented 78.5%
Plant diversity study in Wabe River catchment shows that the catchment has a diversified woody species
Summary
Regulating services (for example climate regulation, erosion mitigation and water purification) and cultural services (for example aesthetic appreciation and recreation). It is fundamental to universal ecosystem functions such as the absorption and transfer of energy and the uptake and loss of carbon dioxide, water, and nutrients (MA, 2005) which, in turn, deliver ecosystem services. Experimental manipulation of biodiversity and ecosystem functioning has shown a consistently positive effect on diversity in the generation of ecosystem services for a range of organisms, habitats and services (Balvanera et al, 2006; Quijas et al, 2010)
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