Woody Vegetation Composition, Structure, and Community Types of Doshke Forest in Chencha, Gamo Gofa Zone, Ethiopia

Abstract

This study was conducted on Doshke forest in Chencha wereda, Gamo Gofa zone, South Ethiopia, with the objective of determining woody vegetation composition, structuren, and community types of woody plant species. Systematic sampling method was used to collect vegetation data. A total of 42 quadrats each with 400 m2 (20 m X 20 m) were established along four lines transects for woody species and regenerations. All the collected woody plant species were identified in National Herbarium of Ethiopia. Data used to describe vegetation structure were recorded from the quadrats. Sorensens’s similarity coefficient and Shannon-Wiener diversity index were also used to detect similarities and to compute species diversity and evenness respectively. A total of 44 woody species belonging to 40 genera and 28 families were recorded in the forest. The family Myrsinaceae and Rubiaceae were found to exhibit the highest number of species each with 4 species. The hierarchical cluster analysis using PC-ORD version 5.0 computer programs revealed four community types, of which Maesa lanceolata-Allophylus abyssinicus community type (C2) exhibited the highest species diversity and evenness. The structural analysis of Doshke forest revealed that the density of tree species in Doshke forest decreases with increasing height and DBH classes. The forest is characterized by high density of woody species in the lower class than in the higher. The most dominant tree species recorded were Syzygium guineense, Ilex mitis, and Galiniera saxiferaga. Three layers of woody species were identified from the study of vertical stratification. Studies on the regeneration of the forest indicated that there are species that require urgent conservation measures. Generally, Doshke forest possesses many economically and ecologically important plant species. It can be considered as the biodiversity conservation center in general and the forest genetic resources conservation in particular.