scholarly journals Effects of Landscape Change on Floristic Composition and Structure in the Bale Mountains National Park, Southeastern Ethiopia

Author(s):  
Annissa Muhammed ◽  
Eyasu Elias

Abstract BackgroundBale mountains national park (BMNP) is one of the 34 International Biodiversity Hotspots that comprise a variety of life forms. However, it faces a critical challenge from subsistence farming and overgrazing. This study was made to analyze the effects of landscape change on floristic composition, diversity, and structure in BMNP. The vegetation and environmental data were collected from 96 plots that were laid along 8 line transects. Vegetation hierarchical clustering and landscape structural analysis was made using R software version 3.5.2 and FRAGSTATS version 4.2.1, respectively. ResultsA total of 205 species that belongs to 153 genera and 71 families were identified. The overall Shannon diversity and evenness index was 4.34 and 0.81, respectively. Both the species richness and Shannon diversity index were significantly higher (p < 0.05) in the edge habitat (40 ± 0.2 and 2.93 ± 0.2, respectively) than the interior (25 ± 4.5 and 2.43 ± 0.4, respectively). Conversely, the basal area was lower in the interior habitat (173.79 m2 ha-1) than the edge (64.15 m2 ha-1). Moreover, as AREA_MN and COA of patches increases, species richness, diversity, evenness, woody species density, basal area, DBH, and height also increases. Whereas, as PN, SHAPE_MN, ED, ENN_MN, and IJI of patches increases, those floristic compositions and structural variables decrease. ConclusionThis study revealed that BMNP is a biologically diverse and ecologically significant area that provides a variety of ecological and economic benefits to the surrounding communities and the country at large. However, its landscape is changing alarmingly and urgent restoration and conservation action needs to be taken to reverse this condition.

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Annissa Muhammed ◽  
Eyasu Elias

Abstract Background: This study aimed to determine the effects of landscape change on floristic composition, diversity, and structure in the Bale mountains national park, which faces a critical challenge from anthropogenic factors. The park is one of the 34 International Biodiversity Hotspots that comprise a variety of life forms. The vegetation data were collected systematically from 96 sample plots laid along 24 line transects. Vegetation composition and landscape structural analysis were made using R software version 3.5.2 and FRAGSTATS version 4.2.1, respectively.Results: Patch number was strong and positively affected species richness (r = -0.90, p < 0.05) and Shannon diversity index (r = -0.96, p < 0.01), and basal area (r = -0.96, p < 0.001), whereas mean patch size was strong and positively influenced species richness (r = 0.95, p < 0.05), diversity (r = 0.87, p < 0.05), and basal area (r = 0.82, p < 0.05). The overall species richness, Shannon diversity index, and Margalef index were significantly higher in the edge habitat than the interior at p < 0.05. However, the mean basal area of woody species in the interior habitat (11.16 ± 1.82 m2 ha-1) was significantly higher than the edge (3.99 ± 0.54 m2 ha-1) at p < 0.05.Conclusion: This study revealed that the park was a biologically diverse and ecologically significant area that provides a variety of ecological and economic benefits to the surrounding communities. Though its habitats are changing alarmingly and urgent restoration and conservation action need to be taken to reverse this situation.


2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 ◽  
pp. 1-13
Author(s):  
Annissa Muhammed ◽  
Eyasu Elias

Bale Mountains National Park is one of the protected areas in Ethiopia that holds the largest area of Afroalpine habitat in Africa and the second largest stand of moist tropical forest. Nevertheless, human settlements, overgrazing, and recurrent fire are the main problems in the park. This study aimed to determine the effects of human-induced landscape change in floristic composition and structure in the park. The vegetation data were collected systematically from 96 sample plots laid along 24 line transects in the edge and interior habitats of the six land cover types. Vegetation composition and landscape structural analysis were made using R software version 3.5.2 and FRAGSTATS version 4.2.1, respectively. Patch number was strong and positively affected species richness (r = −0.90, p < 0.05 ), diversity (r = −0.96, p < 0.01 ), and basal area (r = −0.96, p < 0.001 ), whereas mean patch size was strong and negatively influenced species richness (r = 0.95, p < 0.05 ), diversity (r = 0.87, p < 0.05 ), and basal area (r = 0.82, p < 0.05 ). The overall species richness, Shannon diversity index, and Margalef index were significantly higher in the edge habitat; however, the mean basal area of woody species was significantly higher in the interior habitat at p < 0.05 . This study uncovered that the park is floristically rich and diverse, and it provides a variety of ecological and economic benefits to the surrounding community and to the nation at large. However, these benefits are gradually declining due to the high level of anthropogenic activities in the park. Thus, integrated environmental management strategy that blends with sustainable use of natural resources should be implemented to minimize the threats.


2022 ◽  
Author(s):  
Muhidin Tahir ◽  
Yemane G. Egzabher ◽  
Meheretu Yonas ◽  
Kidane Giday ◽  
Hayal Lemma ◽  
...  

Abstract This research was conducted in Afro-alpine vegetation of Abohoy Gara Mountain in northern Ethiopia with the aim of analyzing floristic composition along elevational gradients, threats and conservation methods. Data were collected from 53 quadrats (15 m x 15 m) laid at 100 m interval along parallel vertical transects spaced at 500m to each other to record shrubs and trees, whereas 1 m x 1 m plots were used to record herbs. Cover abundance data were used to do community analysis using R version 3.1.2 software. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was employed to determine significant level of species richness; abundance and Shannon diversity index along elevational gradient, whereas pearson’s correlation test was applied to check the relationship between environmental variables with species richness, species abundance and Shannon diversity index (H’) using SPSS v20. Ninety-seven plant species composed of 82 genera under 40 families were recorded. The mean number of plant species showed significant difference along elevational gradient (P < 0.05). Besides, significant (P < 0.05) negative correlation of elevation with the plant richness, abundance as well as Shannon diversity index had been observed. Based on dominant species, a total of five plant communities were identified. The maximum plant diversity occurred in community type III (3.79), whereas the least plant diversity occurred in community type IV and community type V. Vegetation cover and species composition of Abohoy Gara Mountain is being endangered by agricultural expansion, over grazing and logging of wood for construction material. Hence, it needs application of complementary on-site and offsite conservation approaches. This calls for further joint management of the Abohoy Gara Mountain by the local people and administrative bodies in the overall conservation actions that can save and rehabilitate the plant resources and their habitats.


2020 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 34
Author(s):  
Faezah Pardi

This study was conducted at Pulau Jerejak, Penang to determine the floristic variation of its tree communities. A 0.5-hectare study plot was established and divided into 11 subplots. A total of 587 trees with diameter at breast height (DBH) of 5 cm and above were measured, identified and recorded. The tree communities comprised of 84 species, 63 genera and 32 families. The Myrtaceae was the most speciose family with 10 recorded species while Syzgium glaucum (Myrtaceae) was the most frequent species. The Myrtaceae recorded the highest density of 306 individuals while Syzgium glaucum (Myrtaceae) had the highest species density of 182 individuals. Total tree basal area (BA) was 21.47 m2/ha and family with the highest BA was Myrtaceae with 5.81 m2/ha while at species level, Syzgium glaucum (Myrtaceae) was the species with the highest total BA in the plot with value of 4.95 m2/ha. The Shannon˗Weiner Diversity Index of tree communities showed a value of 3.60 (H'max = 4.43) and Evenness Index of 0.81 which indicates high uniformity of tree species. The Margalef Richness Index (R') revealed that the tree species richness was 13.02. Myrtaceae had the highest Importance Value of 20.4%. The Canonical Correspondence Analysis (CCA) showed that Diospyros buxifolia (Ebenaceae) and Pouteria malaccensis (Sapotaceae) were strongly correlated to low pH. Dysoxylum cauliflorum (Meliaceae) and Eriobotrya bengalensis (Rosaceae) were correlated to phosphorus (P) and calcium ion (Ca2+), respectively. Therefore, the trees species composition at Pulau Jerejak showed that the biodiversity is high and conservation action should be implemented to protect endangered tree species. Keywords: Floristic variation; Tree communities; Trees composition; Pulau Jerejak; Species diversity


2017 ◽  
Vol 63 (2) ◽  
pp. 8-16 ◽  
Author(s):  
Corrado Battisti ◽  
Marco Giardini ◽  
Francesca Marini ◽  
Lorena Di Rocco ◽  
Giuseppe Dodaro ◽  
...  

We reported a study on breeding birds occurring inside an 80 m-deep karst sinkhole, with the characterization of the assemblages recorded along its semi-vertical slopes from the upper edge until the bottom. The internal sides of the sinkhole have been vertically subdivided in four belts about 20 m high. The highest belt (at the upper edge of the cenote) showed the highest values in mean number of bird detections, mean and normalized species richness, and Shannon diversity index. The averaged values of number of detections and species richness significantly differ among belts. Species turnover (Cody’s β-diversity) was maximum between the highest belts. Whittaker plots showed a marked difference among assemblages shaping from broken-stick model to geometric series, and explicited a spatial progressive stress with a disruption in evenness towards the deepest belts. Bird assemblages evidenced a nested subset structure with deeper belts containing successive subsets of the species occurring in the upper belts. We hypothesize that, at least during the daytime in breeding season, the observed non-random distribution of species along the vertical stratification is likely due to (i) the progressive simplification both of the floristic composition and vegetation structure, and (ii) the paucity of sunlight as resources from the upper edge to the inner side of the cenote.


2016 ◽  
Vol 51 (8) ◽  
pp. 958-966 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anderson Pedro Bernardina Batista ◽  
José Márcio de Mello ◽  
Marcel Régis Raimundo ◽  
Henrique Ferraço Scolforo ◽  
Aliny Aparecida dos Reis ◽  
...  

Abstract: The objective of this work was to analyze the spatial distribution and the behavior of species richness and diversity in a shrub savanna fragment, in 2003 and 2014, using ordinary kriging, in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. In both evaluation years, the measurements were performed in a fragment with 236.85 hectares, in which individual trees were measured and identified across 40 plots (1,000 m2). Species richness was determined by the total number of species in each plot, and diversity by the Shannon diversity index. For the variogram study, spatial models were fitted and selected. Then, ordinary kriging was applied and the spatial distribution of the assessed variables was described. A strong spatial dependence was observed between species richness and diversity by the Shannon diversity index (<25% spatial dependence degree). Areas of low and high species diversity and richness were found in the shrub savanna fragment. Spatial distribution behavior shows relative stability regarding the number of species and the Shannon diversity index in the evaluated years.


2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (7) ◽  
Author(s):  
ARIDA SUSILOWATI ◽  
DENI ELFIATI ◽  
HENTI HENDALSTUTI RACHMAT ◽  
KUSUMADEWI SRI YULITA ◽  
ADI NURUL HADI ◽  
...  

Abstract. Susilowati A, Elfiati D, Rachmat HH, Yulita KS, Hadi AN, Kusuma YS, Batu SAL. 2020. Vegetation structure and floristic composition of tree species in the habitat of Scaphium macropodum in Gunung Leuser National Park, Sumatra, Indonesia. Biodiversitas 21: 3025-3033. Scaphium macropodum (Miq.) Beumee Ex K Heyne is a member of Malvaceae tree species and globally recognized as malva nut and locally known as ‘kembang semangkok’, ‘tempayang’, ‘merpayang’ or ‘kepayang’. The nut of S. macropodum has many benefits for medicinal purposes, yet destructive extraction of this tree species has led them to extinction. Among its natural distribution in Indonesia, North Sumatra Province, Indonesia is known as its original range, but there is limited information about the existence of this species. This study aimed to determine the vegetation structure of some tree species in the habitat of S. macropodum in Sikundur, Gunung Leuser National Park, Sumatra, Indonesia. Purposive sampling technique was employed by creating line transect at some forest areas where the population of S. macropodum is known to grow naturally. Four line transects with each transect consisting of five plots with nested plots within were established to record data at four growth stages, resulting in 80 plots in total. The results showed that the Important Value Index (IVI) of S. macropodum within the floristic community at the studied area was 21.98, 13.85, 27.30, and 39.60 for tree, pole, sapling, and seedlings stages, respectively. The Shannon-Wiener Diversity Index (H) were 3.80, 3.70, 3.06 and 2.45, Index of evenness (E) are 0.94, 0.92, 0.86, 0.77 and the Index of Richness (R) are 11.76, 10.73, 6.59, 4.10 for tree, pole, sapling, and seedlings stages. This result suggests that the natural population of S. macropodum in Sikundur forest was still in good condition at all stages from tree to seedling.


2015 ◽  
Vol 7 (15) ◽  
pp. 8272 ◽  
Author(s):  
Girish Gogoi ◽  
Vipin Parkash

<p>Hollongapar Gibbon Wildlife Sanctuary is comprised of five distinct compartments.  A total of 138 species of gilled mushrooms belonging to 48 genera, 23 families, five orders of the class Agaricomycetes, division Basidiomycota, have been collected and analyzed. The order Agaricales was was found with the highest number of species (113), followed by Russulales (14), Polyporales (5), Cantharellales (4) and Boletales (2). The species <em>Coprinellus disseminatus </em>and <em>Megacollybia rodmani</em> have shown the highest (8.26) and the lowest density (0.05), respectively.  A total of 24 species, e.g., <em>Termitomyces albuminosus, Marasmius curreyi, Marasmiellus candidus, Leucocoprinus medioflavus, Mycena leaiana, Hygrocybe miniata, Collybia chrysoropha, Gymnopus confluens</em> were common with frequency percentage of 11.9, whereas <em>Megacollybia rodmani</em> with less frequency percentage (2.4) was found only in few quadrates of the sanctuary.  The highly abundant species were <em>Termitomyces medius</em> (91.7) and <em>Coprinellus disseminatus </em>(86.8), and less abundant species were <em>Psilocybe wayanadensis</em> (1.0) and <em>Lepiota</em> sp. (1.0) in the study site.  The order of the species richness index (<em>R</em>) compartment wise was 2&gt;3&gt;4&gt;5&gt;1. Both the Shannon diversity index and Simpson diversity index of agarics was maximum (1.88, 0.98) in compartment 2, whereas minimum (1.72, 0.95) in compartment 1 and 5, respectively.  Moreover, the compartment 2 was found very much similar with compartment 3 and very less similar with compartment 1.</p><div> </div>


2016 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 357-366 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eddy Yusron

A study on Echinoderms community structure in marine national parks of Wakatobi, Southeast Sulawesi was conducted in six locations, i.e., Waha Beach, Coastal Sombo, Beach Houses, Beach Kapota, Banakawa beach, and Umala beach in October 2013. All of the six parks were located the Wakatobi territorial waters with coordinates of 5°06'25" S and 123°124'10 E. The results showed of 18 species of echinoderms representing six different types of Asteroidea, two types of Ophiuroidea, six types of Echinoidea, and four types of Holothuroidea. Group of starfish or Asteroidea was the most prominent on seagrass area. Based on the six transects sites, it turned out that the group of starfish (Asteridea) occupied a relatively high level of species richness. From the quantitative analysis values, we obtained diversity index (H) of 1.105 in Sombu, the highest evenness index (J) of 0.989 was found in Umala, and the highest species richness index values (D) of 0.132 was obtained in kapota. It seemed that all echinoderm groups were generally like seagrass microhabitat (12 types). While, sand and dead coral habitats were only occupied by 8 (eight) echinoderm groups. Keywords: echinoderms, diversity, Wakatobi, Southeast Sulawesi


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