Abstract
Understanding the structural pattern and regeneration status of tree species is an important measure taken to assess the vegetation dynamics and their destruction factors species as well as management history and ecology of the forest. This study was conducted with the objective to assess the species diversity, structure, and regeneration status of woody species in Kenech natural forest, Ethiopia. Systematic random sampling method was employed as a sampling design for the collection of vegetation data. Accordingly, 40 plots of 20 m × 20 m were laid at every 100 m along four parallel transect lines following altitudinal gradient. Any woody species of trees and shrubs with the diameter at breast height (DBH) ≥2.5 cm was measured at 1.5 m from the ground. In each sample plots, all woody species seedling, sapling, and mature woody species were counted and recorded. A total of 80 plant species categorized into 67 genera and 28 families were recorded and identified, for description and analysis of vegetation structure. Structural analysis of the Kenech natural forest revealed a density of 840 stems/ha and a total basal area of 56.8 m2/ha. About 80.36% of the individuals are found in the first two classes (2.5–10 and 10–20 cm). The general pattern of DBH class distribution of woody species in the study area revealed an inverted J shape indicating the presence of a high density of trees in the lower DBH class than in the higher. The most dominant tree species relatively with the highest importance values recorded in the area were Pouteria adolfi-friedericii, Podocarpus falcatus, Celtis africana, Mimusops kummel, Pyschotria orophila, and Olea capensis subsp. macrocarpa. Forty-two species (64.61%) were represented by both seedling and sapling class, whereas 9 species (13.84%) were not regenerating.
Highlights
Ethiopia is a country characterized by highly diversified physiographic, altitudinal, climatic, and edaphic with a wide range of habitats and vegetation types which are rich in endemic flora and fauna [1, 2]
A total of 80 woody species of vascular plants belonging to 67 genera and 28 families were recorded and identified from the protected Kenech natural vegetation. e most dominant 6 families of woody plant species were Euphorbiaceae, representing (10%) 8 species in 7 genera; Fabaceae (8.75), 7 species in 6 genera; Asteraceae (8.75), 7 species in 4 genera; and Rubiaceae (7.5) 6 species in 4 genera, while Lamiaceae and Oleaceae each represented by (5%) 4 species (Table 1)
Lower Chilimo forest: 3328.47 individuals ha−1 [25], Sire Beggo: 1845 stems·ha−1 [60], and Gedam and Abebaye: 3001 stems·ha−1 [61]. Of these woody species in the forest, Croton macrostachyus, Podocarpus falcatus, Galiniera saxifrage, and Prunus africana contributed to the largest proportion of individuals. e analysis of density showed that 42.2% of the total density comprises four species, namely, Croton macrostachytus was the dominant species in the forest comprising 16.45% (138.75 individuals ha−) followed by Ekebergia capensis (11.69%) (98.13 individuals ha−1) and Prunus africana (7.23%) (60.63 individuals ha−1) (Table 2)
Summary
Ethiopia is a country characterized by highly diversified physiographic, altitudinal, climatic, and edaphic with a wide range of habitats and vegetation types which are rich in endemic flora and fauna [1, 2]. E number of species of higher vascular plants is about 6027, of which about 10% are endemic to the country [4, 5]. Is high number of plant species results from the wide variation in climate, geology, and terrain working on different time scales [6, 7] and past historical events. Much of its floristic wealth is reflected in the fact that Ethiopia is one of the Vavilov’s centers of origin and/or diversity for many plants [8]. Despite the presence of high floristic composition and endemic species, deforestation is occurring in different parts of Ethiopia at an alarming rate and threatening much of the country’s unique biodiversity [9] and the livelihood of the local community. According to Hundera and Deboch [11], the forests in the entire country declined from the original climax 35% to 16% in 1952, 3.6% by 1980, 2.6% by 1987, and an estimated 2.4% in 1992; this is due to anthropogenic-related factors
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