English

C Mligo

doi:10.5897/ijbc2014.0771

Abstract

The aim of this study was to determine the ecological characteristic of Namatimbili Forest in terms of plant species composition, stem size class structure, stand biomass, diversity, and distribution and identify endemic and threatened plant species that are found within the forest. Data were sampled by using transect method that were established in various habitats within the forest. A total of 312 plant species were found in 62 families, where Fabaceae (51 species) was the highly represented of all families. Of all plant species recorded, 26 are cited under IUCN red list and 36 are endemic species of East African Coastal Forests.The woodlands were more diverse with a Shannon’s index of 2.72 ± 0.21 followed by the riverine forest (1.64 ± 0.19), coral rags (2.28 ± 0.32) and closed canopy evergreen forest (2.32± 0.17) and this pattern was also applied to the species evenness and the difference among vegetation types was significant. The DCA ordination revealed a major variation at DCA-Axis1 where samples from riverine forest separated quite clearly and positioned on the right side of the ordination space. The coral rag habitat extended widely overlapping with other habitats because of high similarity in plant species composition. The woodland habitats separated from the evergreen forest habitat at DCA Axis 3 because of plant species composition differences between them, such that closed canopy trees and the understorey species characterized the evergreen habitats. The riverine forest had a density of 136 stems/ha with the DBH sizes between 41 and 292.99 cm and the stand biomass ranged from 0.1 to 876.06 m3/ha. However, high density of trees with DBH sizes beyond 90 cm was observed in the riverine forest, regardless of all the vegetation typeshaving individual stems beyond this size class. The coral rag vegetation had 42 stems/ha, with diameter at breast height (DBH) sizes ranging from 41 to 95.5 cm and stand biomass in a range from 0.1 to 59 m3/ha. The woodlands had 28 stems/ha with the DBH sizes between 41 and 77.38 cm with denser stems at the size class of 10-14 cm DBH and stand biomass in a range from 0.06 to 127.4 m3/ha. There were 31 stems/ha in the evergreen forest with the DBH sizes from 41.40 to 108.28 cm and stand biomass between 0.06 and 64.42 m3/ha. A significant difference exists in stand biomass, basal area, but no difference in crown cover among vegetation types. It can be concluded that, the heterogeneous habitat characteristics in Namatimbili Forest favour the performance of diverse plant species and determine their natural distribution patterns. Large proportion of plant species found in the forest is endemic to the East African Coastal Forests and some of these have been cited under various IUCN threat categories. However, exploitation of timber trees, fire, and clearance for cultivation negatively affected the plant species diversity, distribution and vegetation community structure in this forest. Based on the ecological importance of Namatimbili Forest, the forest need to be considered for gazetting for protection from habitat degradation caused by anthropogenic activities and it should be included in the natural resource management plans of the southern coastal forests of Tanzania. Key words: Namatimbili forest, coastal forests, endemic, habitas, threats, IUCN, anthropogenic disturbance.

Highlights

Namatimbli is among natural forests found in Lindi region in the southern coast of Tanzania
The forest forms part of the Eastern African coastal forest mosaic with a number of fragments that are characterized by high biological diversity and are very rich in species localized in available unique habitats that has resulted in their restricted distribution pattern (Burgess and Clarke, 2000)
The woodland habitats separated from the evergreen forest habitat at DCA axis 3 (Figure 2), and this may be because of plant species composition differences between them, such that the evergreen habitats are characterized by closed canopy trees and the understorey species such that, plant species confined to this habitat are forest dependent

Summary

Introduction

Namatimbli is among natural forests found in Lindi region in the southern coast of Tanzania. The forest forms part of the Eastern African coastal forest mosaic with a number of fragments that are characterized by high biological diversity and are very rich in species localized in available unique habitats that has resulted in their restricted distribution pattern (Burgess and Clarke, 2000). Eastern Arc Mountains to be among important biodiversity conservation centers, date back to 1999 where the two ecoregions together were recognized as one of the 25. Global Biodiversity “Hotspots” because of their exceptionally high levels of biological diversity and endemism (Mittermeier et al 1999). To date the number of conservation centers has increased to 34 hotspots covering 15.7% of the Earth's land surface (Myers et al., 2000) and the coastal forests may stand as a Hotspot in its own right (Mittermeier et a., 2004). The Tanzanian coastal forests being part of the aforementioned hotspots are the leading among the world hotspots in terms of the plant species endemism per unit area and eighth in terms of levels of threat (Brooks et al, 2002; Brooks, 2010)

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