Structural patterns and regeneration status of woody plant species in the forest of Northwest Ethiopia

Abstract

Ethiopia, with its diverse ecological settings, is endowed with rich floral diversity. However, its vegetation is rapidly vanishing. Thus, the status was carried out to analyze of the Endiras forest in Northwest Ethiopia. Systematically, 50 (20 × 20 m) quadrats were laid on 10 transects oriented in a north-south direction. In each quadrat, woody species were recorded; circumferences (DBH ≥2.5 cm) were measured, and species’ cover abundance (in %) was recorded, which were later transformed into a modified Braun-Blanquet scale. Seedlings and saplings were recorded in five subquadrats (5 × 5 m) placed at each corner and center of the main quadrat. Cluster analysis was employed to identify community types, and the Shannon-Wiener index was computed to quantify species diversity. Structural parameters and size-class ratios were used to analyze the structural pattern and regeneration status, respectively. Seventy-three woody species distributed in 38 families were recorded, of which three were Ethiopian endemics. Fabaceae was the most species-rich family (21.92%). Five communities with different species diversity were identified. Structural data analyses showed that small trees and shrubs dominated the forest species. Species with a small IVI, lower numbers of juveniles, and abnormal population structures should receive conservation priority.