The Current Forest Status and Plant Species Diversity in Sekelemariam State Forest, Ethiopia

Abstract

The aim of this study was to explore the characteristic of structure; species composition and species diversity in Sekelemariam State forest to enhance the forest’s plant biodiversity conservation and management practices through minimize the illegal deforestation practices by the local communities. The floristic composition and relative dominance of trees were studied in 66 (10m x 20 m) sample plots. A systematic sampling of plot of (10 m x 20 m) in each site was done to take vegetation samples. The data of tree individuals have served to give insight into the stand density, basal area, and frequency number of DBH class ranges. There were a large number of DBH class ranges but there were low DBH values. The species composition of Sekelemariam State forest is low rich and diversity with moderate density. The dominant species of trees were Croton macrostachys, Cupressus lusitanica Mil and Albizzia schimperiana, respectively. The maximum and minimum IVI values of trees were 34.97 and 0.66 of Croton macrostachys and Terminalia schimperiana , respectively. The density of vegetation in study area increases with increasing of DBH and height classes; this implies that the predominance of plantation tree individuals as the local community had been logging large sized natural tree species. The DBH size class distribution of trees in Sekelemariam State forest is shown to be on L-shape curve, which is high abundance of small trees. Keywords: Species diversity, Species richness, DBH, Diversity Indices. DOI : 10.7176/JBAH/9-24-02 Publication date: December 31 st 2019