Tree Species Diversity and Composition of Miombo Woodlands in South-Central Angola: A Chronosequence of Forest Recovery after Shifting Cultivation

Francisco M P Gonçalves,Norbert Juergens,Rasmus Revermann,Marcos P M Aidar,Amândio L Gomes,Manfred Finckh

doi:10.1155/2017/6202093

Francisco M P Gonçalves, Norbert Juergens + Show 4 more

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https://doi.org/10.1155/2017/6202093

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Abstract

The study was carried out in the Cusseque area of the Municipality of Chitembo in south-central Angola. Our objectives were to assess the floristic diversity, the species composition, and stand structure of Miombo woodlands during regeneration after shifting cultivation. A total of 40 plots of 1000 m2were surveyed and analyzed, corresponding to mature forests/woodlands and three fallow types of different age. The analyses were based on plot inventories of all trees with DBH ≥ 5 cm. A total of 51 woody species, 38 genera, and 19 families were recorded. The dominant family was Fabaceae, with subfamily Caesalpinioideae being very abundant. Shannon Diversity and Evenness were highest in mature forests and young fallows, while the mature forest stands showed the highest species richness. A Principal Coordinates Analysis (PCoA) showed many species shared between the intermediate fallow types, but only few species were shared with young fallows. Mature forests formed a clearly distinct group. This study shows potential pathways of forest recovery in terms of faster regeneration after agricultural abandonment and, thus, the results presented here can be used in future conservation and management plans in order to reduce the pressure on mature forests.

Highlights

Forests and woodlands in Africa play an important role in the livelihood of many communities and in the economic development of many countries [1]
A Principal Coordinates Analysis (PCoA) showed many species shared between the intermediate fallow types, but only few species were shared with young fallows
This study shows potential pathways of forest recovery in terms of faster regeneration after agricultural abandonment and, the results presented here can be used in future conservation and management plans in order to reduce the pressure on mature forests

Summary

Introduction

Forests and woodlands in Africa play an important role in the livelihood of many communities and in the economic development of many countries [1]. Direct causes of deforestation and land degradation in south-central Africa include land conversion, for example, by expansion of shifting cultivation practiced by small holders and infrastructural or agroindustrial expansion, and overexploitation, for example, for timber, fuelwood, and charcoal [4]. Shifting cultivation is an agricultural system practiced in the tropics for thousands of years, being the main source of subsistence for people in many rural areas [5]. This agricultural practice is characterized by a rotation of fields rather than of crops, by short periods of cropping (one to five years), alternated with long fallow periods (up to twenty or more years, but often as short as six to eight years), and by clearing the fields using slash-and-burn techniques. Fields are normally prepared using a hoe or digging stick, the plow only

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