Selective Harvesting Impact on Natural Regeneration, Tree Species Richness and Diversity in Forest Co-management Block in Liwonde Forest Reserve, Malawi

Abstract

Biodiversity conservation within forests depends, in part, on management practices that restore or maintain plant community diversity and function. Because many plant communities are adapted to natural disturbances, selective harvesting has potential to meet this need. This study was conducted to determine the impact of selective harvesting on tree species regeneration abundance, richness and diversity in Chidenga forest co-management block in Liwonde forest reserve, Malawi after four years of harvesting. The study constituted two treatments: harvested area (selective harvesting) and non-harvested area (control). The data obtained was analysed using Rẻnyi diversity profile in Biodiversity R. The results show that there were substantial variations between the treatments on the studied variables. Harvested area had higher tree species regenerants abundance (6088±452 ha -1 ) than non-harvested area (5324±364 ha -1 ). Harvested area had a higher Hα (2.64) at 0-alpha than Hα (2.48) for non-harvested area, indicating that harvested area had the higher tree species richness than non-harvested area in the understory. Furthermore, in the understory, harvested area had higher profile, 2.64 to 0.33 from 0-Alpha to infinity, than non- harvested area, 2.48 to 0.21 from 0-Alpha to infinity. This indicates that harvested area was more diverse than non-harvested area. In the overstory, harvested area had individual tree species evenly distributed than in non-harvested area. This signifies a healthy or good ecosystem. Therefore, it can be suggested that selective harvesting has a significant role in conservation of the forest resource base, and may be promoted for sustainable management of forest co-management blocks.