Woody Plant Conservation Value of Three Contrasting Forest Management Regimes in Southwest Ethiopia

Abstract

The future of the Afromontane forest of southwest Ethiopia is highly influenced by coffee management intensity. The study was conducted to investigate the woody species conservation value of a human-modified forest in southwest Ethiopia. We assessed woody species composition, regeneration and forest stand structure across three different management regimes (i.e., natural forest, coffee forest and coffee agroforest using 189 plots of 400 m2 (20 m × 20 m). A total of 64 species belonging to 33 families were identified and recorded across the three forest management regimes. About 83% of the recorded woody species were maintained in the coffee agroforest. The three forest types shared 61% of the recorded woody species. The coffee agroforest had maintained four strata or layers of stand structure. Nevertheless, the total abundance, density and basal area of woody species decreased from the natural forest to coffee forest and coffee agroforest. The Analysis of Similarity (ANOSIM) showed significant difference between the natural forest, coffee forest and coffee agroforest (Global RAnosim = 0.36, p < 0.001). Similar regeneration patterns were recorded under the forest management regimes. Coffee agroforests simplify the woody plant composition and stand structure of the Afromontane forest in southwest Ethiopia.