International Journal of Natural Resource Ecology and Management

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Woody Species Composition in Relation to Spatial and Environmental Gradients in Acacia-Commiphora Vegetation Ecosystem of Ethiopia

Received: 16 March 2017    Accepted: 28 March 2017    Published: 13 April 2017
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Abstract

Woody species composition at local scale has been studied well in the tropics. However, how the species composition is related to the spatial and environmental gradients was poorly studied. Here, we examined the effects of the topographic aspects and altitude gradient on the species composition across four sites of Acacia-Commiphora woodland and bushland ecosystem. We collected data on the number of species, number of individuals, dbh and total height for those dbh was ≥ 2.5cm from ten quadrates (size: 50  50 m each) along transect of about 2kms laid out in each four sites. Altitude was taken with handheld GPS (Garmin GPSMAP 60CSx) and topographic aspects were recorded for each quadrate. The species composition was dissimilar among the four sites, across altitudinal gradients and topographic aspects. Here, the majority of the rare species are specific to each site, for example, Olea europea is the rare species in site (A) but not recorded in the rest of the three sites. Our overall results underscore the importance of considering the spatial scales and environmental variables in designing conservation methods. Nevertheless, identifying the biotic attributes driving the species composition in the ecosystem envisages further studies.

DOI 10.11648/j.ijnrem.20170203.12
Published in International Journal of Natural Resource Ecology and Management (Volume 2, Issue 3, May 2017)
Page(s) 53-59
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Altitude, Aspect, Conservation, Ecosystem, Spatial Scales, Species Composition

References
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Author Information
  • Forest and Range Land Plant Biodiversity Directorate, Ethiopian Biodiversity Institute, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

  • Forest and Range Land Plant Biodiversity Directorate, Ethiopian Biodiversity Institute, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

  • Forest and Range Land Plant Biodiversity Directorate, Ethiopian Biodiversity Institute, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

  • Forest and Range Land Plant Biodiversity Directorate, Ethiopian Biodiversity Institute, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

  • Forest and Range Land Plant Biodiversity Directorate, Ethiopian Biodiversity Institute, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

  • Forest and Range Land Plant Biodiversity Directorate, Ethiopian Biodiversity Institute, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Cite This Article
  • APA Style

    Debissa Lemessa, Fisseha Asmelash, Yayehrad Teka, Sisay Alemu, Motuma Didita, et al. (2017). Woody Species Composition in Relation to Spatial and Environmental Gradients in Acacia-Commiphora Vegetation Ecosystem of Ethiopia. International Journal of Natural Resource Ecology and Management, 2(3), 53-59. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijnrem.20170203.12

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    ACS Style

    Debissa Lemessa; Fisseha Asmelash; Yayehrad Teka; Sisay Alemu; Motuma Didita, et al. Woody Species Composition in Relation to Spatial and Environmental Gradients in Acacia-Commiphora Vegetation Ecosystem of Ethiopia. Int. J. Nat. Resour. Ecol. Manag. 2017, 2(3), 53-59. doi: 10.11648/j.ijnrem.20170203.12

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    AMA Style

    Debissa Lemessa, Fisseha Asmelash, Yayehrad Teka, Sisay Alemu, Motuma Didita, et al. Woody Species Composition in Relation to Spatial and Environmental Gradients in Acacia-Commiphora Vegetation Ecosystem of Ethiopia. Int J Nat Resour Ecol Manag. 2017;2(3):53-59. doi: 10.11648/j.ijnrem.20170203.12

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  • @article{10.11648/j.ijnrem.20170203.12,
      author = {Debissa Lemessa and Fisseha Asmelash and Yayehrad Teka and Sisay Alemu and Motuma Didita and Seid Melesse},
      title = {Woody Species Composition in Relation to Spatial and Environmental Gradients in Acacia-Commiphora Vegetation Ecosystem of Ethiopia},
      journal = {International Journal of Natural Resource Ecology and Management},
      volume = {2},
      number = {3},
      pages = {53-59},
      doi = {10.11648/j.ijnrem.20170203.12},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijnrem.20170203.12},
      eprint = {https://download.sciencepg.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijnrem.20170203.12},
      abstract = {Woody species composition at local scale has been studied well in the tropics. However, how the species composition is related to the spatial and environmental gradients was poorly studied. Here, we examined the effects of the topographic aspects and altitude gradient on the species composition across four sites of Acacia-Commiphora woodland and bushland ecosystem. We collected data on the number of species, number of individuals, dbh and total height for those dbh was ≥ 2.5cm from ten quadrates (size: 50  50 m each) along transect of about 2kms laid out in each four sites. Altitude was taken with handheld GPS (Garmin GPSMAP 60CSx) and topographic aspects were recorded for each quadrate. The species composition was dissimilar among the four sites, across altitudinal gradients and topographic aspects. Here, the majority of the rare species are specific to each site, for example, Olea europea is the rare species in site (A) but not recorded in the rest of the three sites. Our overall results underscore the importance of considering the spatial scales and environmental variables in designing conservation methods. Nevertheless, identifying the biotic attributes driving the species composition in the ecosystem envisages further studies.},
     year = {2017}
    }
    

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  • TY  - JOUR
    T1  - Woody Species Composition in Relation to Spatial and Environmental Gradients in Acacia-Commiphora Vegetation Ecosystem of Ethiopia
    AU  - Debissa Lemessa
    AU  - Fisseha Asmelash
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    AU  - Sisay Alemu
    AU  - Motuma Didita
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    T2  - International Journal of Natural Resource Ecology and Management
    JF  - International Journal of Natural Resource Ecology and Management
    JO  - International Journal of Natural Resource Ecology and Management
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    EP  - 59
    PB  - Science Publishing Group
    SN  - 2575-3061
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    AB  - Woody species composition at local scale has been studied well in the tropics. However, how the species composition is related to the spatial and environmental gradients was poorly studied. Here, we examined the effects of the topographic aspects and altitude gradient on the species composition across four sites of Acacia-Commiphora woodland and bushland ecosystem. We collected data on the number of species, number of individuals, dbh and total height for those dbh was ≥ 2.5cm from ten quadrates (size: 50  50 m each) along transect of about 2kms laid out in each four sites. Altitude was taken with handheld GPS (Garmin GPSMAP 60CSx) and topographic aspects were recorded for each quadrate. The species composition was dissimilar among the four sites, across altitudinal gradients and topographic aspects. Here, the majority of the rare species are specific to each site, for example, Olea europea is the rare species in site (A) but not recorded in the rest of the three sites. Our overall results underscore the importance of considering the spatial scales and environmental variables in designing conservation methods. Nevertheless, identifying the biotic attributes driving the species composition in the ecosystem envisages further studies.
    VL  - 2
    IS  - 3
    ER  - 

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