Floristic Composition and Community Analysis of Berbere Forest, Bale Zone, South East Ethiopia

Tesfaye Bogale

doi:10.11648/j.aff.20170606.14

Abstract

The study was conducted on Berbere forest in Bale Zone of Oromia National Regional State, South east of Ethiopia with the objective of determining the floristic composition and community type of the forest. Systematic sampling method was used to collect vegetation data. Seventy two quadrat size of 400 m<sup>2</sup> (20 m x 20 m) for trees, shrubs and lianas and five 1 m<sup>2</sup> (1 m x 1 m) for herbs one at each corner and one at the center of the main plot were used. In each of these quadrants, all vascular plant species were collected and brought to National Herbarium, Addis Ababa University for identification. Vegetation classification was performed using PC-ORD software packages. Sorensens’s similarity coefficient and Shannon-Wiener diversity index were also used to detect similarities among communities and to compute species richness and evenness between the plant communities’ respectively. A total of two hundred one plant species in 157 genera and 65 families were identified from the forest. Fabaceae and Asteraceae are the dominant families in terms of species richness. Based on the results of vegetation classification, three plant communities (Terminalia brownie-Psydrax schimperiana, Warburgia ugandensis - Podocarpus falcatus, and Euclea racemosa subsp. schimperi-Combretum molle) were recognized and described. Ethnobotanical studies to explore indigenous knowledge on the diverse uses of plants, and sound management and monitoring as well as maintenance of biodiversity that promote sustainable use of the forest and its products are recommended.

Highlights

Ethiopia has diverse macro- and micro- climatic conditions that have contributed to the formation of diverse ecosystems which helped for the evolution and survival of biodiversity ([8], [22], [38])
One hundred seventy seven species were collected within the 72 quadrats and the rest were collected outside the sample quadrats but within the forest and used to make the complete floristic list of the forest
The results of this study indicated that the presence of relatively high species diversity, which are 201 species, 157 genera and 65 families

Summary

Introduction

Ethiopia has diverse macro- and micro- climatic conditions that have contributed to the formation of diverse ecosystems which helped for the evolution and survival of biodiversity ([8], [22], [38]). The Bale Eco-Region harbours diverse and unique biodiversity resources at ecosystem and species level. The Bale eco-region belongs to the Eastern Afromontane biodiversity hotspot, which is one of the 35 biodiversity hotspots worldwide due to its exceptionally high levels of biodiversity and threats ([37]). It comprises about twelve vegetation ecosystems each of which can further be subdivided into plant communities. The vegetation ecosystems include: Afro-alpine grassland, Erica forest/shrubl and, Tesfaye Bogale et al.: Floristic Composition and Community Analysis of Berbere

Objectives

Methods

Results

Conclusion