Floristic composition and habitat diversity of fogera wetland and its implication for Biodiversity conservation.
2006
Getachew Tesfaye and Kagnew Hailesellasse
The floristic composition, structure and habitat diversity of Fogera wetland in north-western Ethiopia were investigated. Vegetation survey was done along line transects in prior-defined habitat variability. Quadrat sizes of 4 X 4 (16 m2) were laid in grassland, seasonal and perennial swamps at 50 m distance along the line transects while 20 X 20 (400 m2) were used for plantation and natural forest habitats. A total of 146 vascular plant species were recorded of which 140 belonged to 36 plant families. Trees and shrubs constituted 15%, while herbs and climbers_constituted85%. The plant families with the highest number of species were the Poaceae, Fabaceae, Cyperacea and asteraceae each constituting 23%, 13%, 11% and 8%, respectively. Five plant community types were identified based on cluster analysis using presence/absence data. The mean number of plant species per community types ranged from 12 to 52. The Shanon-Wiener diversity index was higher in the natural forest habitat whereas species richness was higher in the plantation forest. The spatial distribution of the five plant community types was governed by local relief and period of inundation. Protection of grassland habitats from encroachments both by humans and wetland invasive plants, and in situ conservation of the unique gene pool of the "Fogera cattle breed' are among the recommended options for sustainable use and management of Fogera wetland.
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This bibliographic record has been provided by Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research