Regeneration Response of Juniperus procera and Olea europaea subsp cuspidata to Exclosure in a Dry Afromontane Forest in Northern Ethiopia

Ermias Aynekulu,Manfred Denich,Diress Tsegaye

doi:10.1659/mrd.1076

Ermias Aynekulu, Manfred Denich + Show 1 more

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https://doi.org/10.1659/mrd.1076

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Abstract

The Afromontane forests of northern Ethiopia have been degraded and fragmented for centuries. Recently, efforts have been made to restore these forests by protecting them from livestock interference. In this study, the natural regeneration of Juniperus procera Hochst. ex Endl. and Olea europaea L. subsp cuspidata (Wall. ex G. Don) Cif. is investigated under protected conditions after 3 years of enclosure and under open management systems in a dry Afromontane forest in northern Ethiopia. Data on the floristic and structural compositions of the vascular plants were collected using 32 randomly selected plots (20 m × 20 m), while nested plots (10 m × 10 m) were used to investigate the seedling bank at the protected and adjacent open sites. The results reveal that there was a significantly higher regeneration of O. europaea on the protected site than on the open site (P = 0.01). However, there was no significant difference between the 2 sites for J. procera (P = 0.16). Thus, protecting the degraded forest in northern Ethiopia seems to be an appropriate management option for the regeneration of O. europaea. The regeneration status of J. procera at both sites is poor, which indicates that protecting the forest from livestock and human disturbance is unlikely to lead to regeneration of this species. Further investigation of other factors that hinder the regeneration of J. procera is therefore recommended.

Highlights

In many tropical forests, excessive deforestation has hampered natural regeneration and seedling establishment and affected the diversity and structure of plant communities (Denslow 1980, 1987; Runkle 1982; Bussmann 2001)
Our results show higher species diversity and seedling abundance at the protected than the open site, suggesting that protection of the forest contributes positively to Dessea forest restoration in northern Ethiopia
Similar findings have been reported for other protected areas located in relatively mesic environments in northern Ethiopia

Summary

Introduction

In many tropical forests, excessive deforestation has hampered natural regeneration and seedling establishment and affected the diversity and structure of plant communities (Denslow 1980, 1987; Runkle 1982; Bussmann 2001). The vascular plants of the Afromontane forests of Ethiopia maintain their population through natural regeneration (Teketay 1997). Dessea Afromontane forest, which was dominated by Juniperus procera and Olea europaea prior to disturbance, has been gradually replaced by encroaching light-demanding shrubs such as Cadia purpurea L. and Tarchonanthus camphoratus L. In response to such disturbances, area exclosures have been introduced in some Afromontane forests in northern Ethiopia in recent years (eg Yayneshet et al 2009)

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