Biodiversity conservation through indigenous agricultural practices: Woody species composition, density and diversity along an altitudinal gradient of Northern Ethiopia
Gebrewahid, Yikunoamlak | Abrehe, Selemawi | Tejada Moral, Manuel
The greatest human impact on the forest ecosystems such as loss of forest area, habitat fragmentation, and soil degradation leads to decline biodiversity. These impacts can be addressed by the integration of trees on the agricultural landscape and maintaining the existing forests. In order to determine woody species diversity and density of tree on farmland in relation to the altitudinal gradient, 75 sample quadrats having an area of 100 m × 50 m, 15 sample quadrats in each range of altitude were measured. The result indicates that a total of 42 woody species belongs to 23 families and Fabaceae were the dominant family. There was a significant difference (P < 0.05) in woody species diversity, richness, evenness, tree density and the basal area between the altitudinal gradient ranges. Woody species richness (4.00), diversity indexes (1.11) and tree density (21.34) were higher in the middle altitude (1500–2000 m a.s.l). However, woody species evenness index (0.91) and the basal area (0.80) were highest in the 2000–2500 and 2500–3000 m a.s.l, respectively. Acacia abyssinica subsp. Abyssinica, Croton macrostachyus, and Cordia Africana were found to have the highest IVI (importance value index). Boswellia papyrifera, Acacia abyssinica subsp. Abyssinica and Diospyros mespiliformis were found to have the highest density. It can be generally concluded that the indigenous agricultural practices have been one way of diversifying agroecosystem in a way that has positive effects on ecological stability and can conserve species diversity.
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