Vegetative structure, floristic composition and natural regeneration of a species in Ylat Forest, Meket Woreda, Northeastern Ethiopia

Abstract

Tegegne S, Workineh B. 2017. Vegetative structure, floristic composition and natural regeneration of a species in Ylat Forest in Meket Woreda, Northeastern Ethiopia. Asian J For 1: 40-53. The natural forest of Ylat in Meket Woreda, Northeastern Ethiopia was examined to decide the vegetative structure, floristic formation and natural regeneration of woodland species and to supply data on sustainable administration of the woody plants in specific and the woodland founts in common. Systematic sampling design was used in this study to gather vegetation information. For each of the sampling sites, five transect lines having fiftyfour primary plots with 400 m2 (20m × 20m) each were laid out to gather the information on woody species along 200m line transects. A total of 60 vascular plant species having a place to 41 families and 56 genera were identified of which 13 (21.67%) were trees, 31 (51.67%) bushes, 6 (10%) climbers and 10 species (16.66) of herbs. Of all the families, Lamiaceae (8.33%) and Fabaceae, Rosaceae, Solanaceae and Euphorbiaceae 3 species (5%) were the most overwhelming woody plant species and followed by Sapindaceae, Aloaceae, Ranunclaceae, Poaceae, Oleaceae, Polygonaceae and Cucurbitaceae contains 2 species each (3.33%). A total of 2652 woody plant species individuals (1227.77 individual/ha) were found of which 405 individuals were Myrsine africana and 19 individuals were Millettia ferruginea and 20 individuals were Dombeya torrida. This data showed the highest and the lowest number of woody plant species. The thickness of woody species with DBH ≥ 2.5cm was 1227.77 individual/ha, basal zone was 1 m2 /ha, frequency of woody species was 258. The overall Shannon diversity and evenness of woody species was 2.94 and 0.84 respectively, demonstrating that the diversity and evenness of woody species within the timberland is moderately high. The woody plant species having the highest importance value index (IVI) were Erica arborea (36.31) followed by Allophylus abyssinicus (28.65) whereas Hagenia abyssinica, Myrica salicifolia, Euphorbia tirucalli, Calpurnia aurea were the lowest IVI and should be given conservation priority. Finally, this study showed that the population structure of the most woody plant species in Ylat Timberland was in a great state of regeneration recruitment level.