Floristic composition and structure of the Kibate Forest along environmental gradients in Wonchi, Southwestern Ethiopia

Abstract

Dry evergreen montane forests in Ethiopia are severely threatened. The status of species composition and structure of forest vegetation are important indicators to understand the trends of threats on local plant communities. In the present study, we examined the floristic composition and structure of the Kibate Forest, Wonchi Highland, Ethiopia along environmental gradients. Sixty-six (30 m × 30 m) plots were established every 100 m interval along altitudinal gradients (2811‒3073 m a.s.l.) in five transect lines for vegetation and environmental data collection. In total, 125 vascular plant species belonging to 104 genera and 52 families were identified. Eighteen species (14%) were endemic to Ethiopia and Eritrea. The two most dominant families, Asteraceae (29 species) and Lamiaceae (eight species) accounted for 30% of the total number of species. The highest number of species (54%) was herbs. Four major community types (viz., Olinia rochetiana-Myrsine melanophloeos, Ilex mitis-Galiniera saxifraga, Erica arborea-Protea gaguedi, and Hagenia abyssinica-Juniperus procera) were identified. The highest species richness, evenness, diversity, and importance value index were in community types 2 and 4. About 82% of the species and all endemic taxa except five were recorded in these two community types. The most dominant woody species were O. rochetiana, E. arborea, Olea europaea subsp. cuspidata, Myrica salicifolia, I. mitis var. mitis, and H. abyssinica with different patterns of population structure. The results show that there was a weak correlation between species richness and altitude. Our findings confirm that environmental variables both with interactions (such as altitude) and without interactions (such as livestock grazing) significantly (p < 0.05) affect species richness. Anthropogenic activities and overgrazing by livestock appear to be the main threat in community types 2 and 3. Urgent management practices and conservation measures such as prohibiting forest clearing and overgrazing and planting indigenous trees through community participation should be considered in community types that are rich in endemic species but are highly threatened.

Carbon stocks of above- and belowground tree biomass in Kibate Forest around Wonchi Crater Lake, Central Highland of Ethiopia

“…Kibate Forest covers 450 ha with altitudinal ranges between 2800 and 3387 m a.s.l. [ 49 ]. The vegetation type of the study area is a typical dry evergreen montane forest [ 50 ].…”

“…interval. All the details of the three classes of elevations and slopes have been described in the previously published paper that was done by the same authors [ 49 ].…”

Phyto-Sociological Attributes, Ecosystem Services and Conservation Dynamics of Three Protected Forests in Tropical Rainforest Ecosystem of Nigeria

“…where below-ground biomass was computed as 20% of AGB following MacDicken [15]; IPCC [16], using a synthesis of global data and a conservative ratio shoot-to-root biomass of 5:1 [17].…”

Terrestrial Plants Around Historical Kawasoti Lake, Nawalpur District, Nepal

“…Two families, each containing 2 plant species, and 28 families with just a single plant species were recorded in the study. The Asteraceae family was dominant in the study performed by Meragiaw et al (2021) in a Kibate Forest in Southwestern Ethiopia. A study by Bano et al (2017) in the Beer Hills along the Indus River in Pakistan also reveals Asteraceae as a dominant family with 8 species.…”