Vegetation Classification and Habitat Types of Gambella National Park

Gatluak Rolkier,Kumelachew Yeshitela

doi:10.1155/2020/8612593

Abstract

Gambella National Park has a diverse set of habitat types which Ethiopia shares with its neighbor, South Sudan, and the park is considered as one of the top wildlife areas of Ethiopia. The objectives of this research were to determine vegetation types and identify habitat types on recent satellite imageries. The method used for vegetation data collection was transects lines. PC-ORD software was used for analyzed vegetation data while Rapid Eye image 5 m resolution 2012 was analyzed by ArcGIS version 10.1 to classify the habitats map of Gambella National Park. The cluster analysis classified the Gambella National Park into 6 vegetation communities, and the relative abundance and relative frequency were used for naming vegetation community types. However, the satellite image had classified the Gambella National Park into 5 major habitat types.

Highlights

Gambella National Park was established in 1973 and has a diverse set of habitat types which Ethiopia shares with its neighbor, South Sudan [1]
Vast collections of plains game are found in the park and perhaps that can be considered as one of the top wildlife areas of Ethiopia [1]. e major vegetation types that are observed in the park are woodland, wooded grassland, grassland, and wetlands
Since the 1980s, there has been large scale habitats changed in Gambella National Park mostly due to human pressure. ese pressures came from establishment of state farm in Abobo with the area of 3,000 ha of land, situated in the eastern part of Gambella National Park and the Construction of Alewero dam for large scale commercial agriculture [2]

Summary

Introduction

Gambella National Park was established in 1973 and has a diverse set of habitat types which Ethiopia shares with its neighbor, South Sudan [1]. Ese pressures came from establishment of state farm in Abobo with the area of 3,000 ha of land, situated in the eastern part of Gambella National Park and the Construction of Alewero dam for large scale commercial agriculture [2]. At present, both large scale agricultural investments (e.g., like Karaturi, Rushi, and Saudi Star) [3] and small scale agricultural investments from different national investors reduced the park area from 5,061 km to 4,575 km. E main reason for classifying and mapping the habitats of Gambella National Park was to have better understanding on the location of vegetation community types at local level and habitats types at large level. E objectives of this research are as follows: International Journal of Forestry Research

Materials and Methods

Data Collection

Data Analysis

Results

Conclusion