Abstract
Diversity, population structures, and regeneration status of gum- and resin-producing woody species, were assessed in 116 sample plots, each measuring 400 m2 and established along line transects. The data were collected in two selected districts, namely, Sherkole and Kurmuk in Benishangul-Gumuz National Regional State, one of the gums and resin belts in western Ethiopia. The gum- and resin-producing woody species had 1.04 and 0.7 diversity and 0.576 and 0.49 evenness values at Kurmuk and Sherkole districts, respectively. They accounted for 26% and 46% of the density, 51% and 58% of the basal area, and 32% and 53% of the Importance Value Index of all the woody species, respectively. The gum- and resin-bearing woody species exhibited three patterns of population structure. The first pattern suggests good reproduction abilities of the species coupled with a good recruitment of seedlings and their subsequent continuous growth to replace older individuals over time, indicating stable regeneration. About 61% of the gum- and resin-bearing woody species fall under this category. The other two patterns indicate the hampered regeneration status of the woody species. Heavy grazing, conversion to cropland by small-scale farming, gold mining, recurrent fire, and climate change were mentioned as major bottlenecks of natural regeneration and recruitment. Policy, extension, and research recommendations are discussed.
Highlights
Ethiopia owns one of the extensive forest vegetation resources in the Horn of Africa
The species richness values at the current study sites are far lower than those reported from Combretum-Terminalia forests in Metema, northern Ethiopia (78 spp.; [20]) and Acacia-Commiphora woodlands in Arero, southern Ethiopia (41 spp.; [12])
Existing unhealthy population demography of the species across all its natural growing ranges, including the current study areas, implies that the country at large and rural livelihoods that depend on this species for a considerable proportion of their annual income and the many export companies, in particular, may lose their income in the future
Summary
Ethiopia owns one of the extensive forest vegetation resources in the Horn of Africa. Ethiopia’s forest vegetation resources are classified into six broad categories, namely, forestlands, woodlands, shrublands, bushlands, plantations and bamboos [1]. Together, these forest vegetation resources cover some 50% of the 1.12 million km total landmass of the country. The share of high forest, is only 3.5% whereas, woodland, shrubland and bushland combined contribute about 45% of the landmass, indicating that the latter cover quite extensive areas and ecosystems [2]. Recent studies [3], re-grouped the vegetation resources of Ethiopia into 12 types. Seven of these vegetation types are encountered in drier lowland areas of the country and are commonly referred to as dry forests [4]. Combretum-Terminalia, broad-leaved deciduous dry forests and Acacia-Commiphora, smallleaved woodlands, are the two most prominent dry forest vegetation resources in the lowlands, both socioeconomically and ecologically [5, 6]
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