Assessment of floristic composition, stocking and disturbance in Mkulazi Catchment Forest Reserve in Morogoro District, Tanzania

MSc. Dissertation

This study attempted to assess floristic composition, stocking and disturbance in MCFR. Specifically, the study aimed to assess plant species richness and diversity, stem density, basal area and volume of the trees, intensity and distribution of disturbance and determine land cover changes for the past 41 years in MCFR. A total of 20 clusters with 100 concentric circular plots with radii 2,5,10 and 15m aligned in four transects across the entire forest of 65710ha were used for the study. Data collection involved recording information on species name, diameter at breast height, tree height with diameter ≥5cm, counts and records species of regenerants and human disturbance in each plot. Landsat MSS, TM and OLI image of the year 1975, 1995 and 2016 were used to quantify land cover changes for the past 41 years. Inventory data were analyzed by using MS excel and PAST while Landsat Image were analyzed using QGIS software version 2.8.1. A total of 57 plant species belonged to 23 families were identified.Shannon-Wiener index and Simpson Diversity Indices were 3.086 and 0.9436 respectively. The mean volume of 88.07±25.61m³/ha, stem density of 255.9±61.7 stem/ha, basal area 7.6±2.1m²/ha and volume of stumps 24.5±9.3m³/ha were obtained. Apart from disturbances frequently that affects forest, this study found that MCFR is disturbed by animal grazing 43.5%, footpath 21.7%, camping site 17.4%, car truck 15.2% and fire damage 2.2%. For the past 41 years land cover changed from closed woodland, bush land and riverine to open woodland and bare land by 44.71%, 37.59% and 1.08% respectively. Generally, MCFR has higher species richness and diversity. There were also consistently negative changes in forest cover, relatively to low stem density, mean tree height, and mean Dbh and basal area which were indications of the presence of human disturbance. Therefore, there is a need of resurvey, JFM, good governance and Management plan to be implemented by the MCFR.