English

Tamene Beyene Sintayehu

doi:10.5897/ajps2020.1988

Abstract

In Ethiopia, deforestation is a major challenge which leads to increased human encroachment upon wild areas and threats to biodiversity. In line with this, the aim of the current study was to assess woody species diversity and threats in Hotessa forest. Systematic sampling method was used to collect vegetation data. Accordingly, 100 plots each with 400 m2 (20 m × 20 m) for woody species was laid along transect line. In each of these plots, all woody species were collected. Simple random sampling was used to identify target population and in-depth interviews were conducted with farmers living in close vicinity to the forest to identify challenges and threats on the forest. A total of 43 woody species distributed to 37 genera and 28 families were identified and documented. Fabaceae is the dominant families in terms of species richness. The Shannon-Wiener diversity index computed for the three different altitudinal gradients and showed that lower altitude is the most diverse and has more or less even distribution of species. In general, the diversity and evenness of woody species in the forest was 2.575 and 0.98 respectively. The result of analysis of the responses to human-induced factors responsible for deforestation in the study revealed that most of the respondents attributed population growth (80.82%) as the major factor responsible for deforestation in the study area. Key words: Diversity index, Shannon-Wiener, farmers, interview, sampling.

Highlights

Different scholars in their study reported that in our world, the total global forest area has declined by 3%, from 4128 million ha in 1990 to 3999 million ha in 2015 (Keenan et al, 2015)
Top seven families contributed to about 51% of all the 28 plant families recorded in the area
Expansion of agricultural land, logging, urbanization and infrastructure development were recorded as a major challenges and negative impact on the biodiversity and soil condition in the area

Summary

Introduction

Different scholars in their study reported that in our world, the total global forest area has declined by 3%, from 4128 million ha in 1990 to 3999 million ha in 2015 (Keenan et al, 2015). Previous study by Reynolds et al (2007) state that, the decline of vegetation cover is one of the most serious challenges facing humankind today. In Ethiopia, the natural vegetation is highly affected by several factors such as, agricultural expansion, settlement, deforestation, land degradation, and increment in invasive species occurrence and logging practice which seriously damages the structure and composition of natural woody plant species and leading to the declining of forest biodiversity and agricultural yield in Ethiopia (Mohammed, 2011; Khumalo et al, 2012; Ariti et al, 2015; Gashaw and Dinkayoh, 2015; Bessie et al, 2016; Negasi et al, 2018) and with the present annual rate of deforestation 2% it continues (Moges et al, 2010)

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