Biodiversity and Ecosystem Management

Assessment of Woody Species Diversity and Carbon Stock Estimation along Altitudinal Gradient of Kulkal Ber Natural Forest in Maksegnet District, Northwestern Ethiopia

2026-06-05T06:52:31Z

Assessment of Woody Species Diversity and Carbon Stock Estimation along Altitudinal Gradient of Kulkal Ber Natural Forest in Maksegnet District, Northwestern Ethiopia Asmare Belay, Endawok Forest ecosystems play a vital role in mitigating climate change and conserving biodiversity. Assessing their woody species diversity and carbon stocks along altitudinal gradient is essential for informing forest management strategies that enhance carbon sequestration in both vegetation and soil. This study aimed to establish baseline data on woody species diversity, structural attributes, and carbon stock potential along altitudinal gradient of the Kulkal Ber Natural Forest in Maksegnet District, Northwestern Ethiopia. Data collection was conducted using a stratified systematic sampling approach. Six transects, spaced 500 m apart along the altitudinal gradient, were established. A total of 60 plots (20 m × 20 m) were systematically placed at 200 m intervals along the transect lines. Additionally, five 5 m × 5 m subplots (positioned at the corners and center of the main plot) were used for sampling shrubs. Within each 5 m × 5 m subplot, a single 1 m × 1 m nested subplot was used to collect ground herbaceous layer (GHL) and soil samples. Woody species diversity was assessed using the Shannon-Wiener diversity index (H'), while hierarchical cluster analysis was performed to classify plant community types. Above and belowground biomass was estimated using general allometric models, and soil organic carbon (SOC) and grass, herb, and litter (GHL) carbon content were determined through laboratory analysis. A total of 36 woody species belonging to 26 families and 31 genera were identified. The overall Shannon-Wiener diversity index (H') was 1.801, with an evenness value of 0.48. The six most abundant species, in descending order of density, were Dodonaea angustifolia, Combretum molle, Rhus glutinosa, Millettia ferruginea, Rhus vulgaris, and Cordia africana. The forest’s basal area was 6.53 m² ha⁻¹. ANOVA results indicated that altitudinal variation had no significant effect on species diversity. However, species composition, evenness value, and structural attributes highlighted the dominance of few species, with low importance value indices. Hierarchical cluster analysis identified three distinct plant community types, such as Ficus thonningii–Dodonaea viscosa, Olea europaea–Clausena anisata, and Myrsine africana–Euphorbia tirucalli. The total mean carbon stock of the forest was 150.76 t C ha⁻¹, with aboveground carbon (AGC) of 57.29 t C ha⁻¹, belowground carbon (BGC) of 15.47 t C ha⁻¹, grass, herb and litter (GHL) carbon of 3.21 t C ha⁻¹, deadwood carbon (DWC) of 2.86 t C ha⁻¹, and soil organic carbon (SOC) of 71.93 t C ha⁻¹. While AGC, BGC, and SOC showed no significant variation with altitude, GHL carbon was significantly higher at lower altitudes, suggesting that altitude influences ground herbaceous layer carbon accumulation. The forest’s population structure exhibited a reversed J-shaped height class distribution in the two altitudinal gradients, dominated by small trees and shrubs, indicating good regeneration potential. These findings emphasize the importance of conservation measures and sustainable management strategies to safeguard the genetic resources and carbon sequestration capacity of Kulkal Ber Natural Forest. 85

TRADITIONAL MEDICINAL PLANTS IN HADES FOREST, DOBA WEREDA, WEST HARARGHE, ETHIOPIA; LOCAL KNOWLEDGE, CONSERVATION STATUS AND THREATS A

2026-06-03T06:47:33Z

TRADITIONAL MEDICINAL PLANTS IN HADES FOREST, DOBA WEREDA, WEST HARARGHE, ETHIOPIA; LOCAL KNOWLEDGE, CONSERVATION STATUS AND THREATS A Tewodros, Aynyirad Medicinal plants play a vital role in primary healthcare systems in Ethiopia, where access to modern medical services remains limited. This ethnobotanical study was conducted in Hades Forest and the surrounding communities of Doba Woreda, West Hararghe Zone, Ethiopia, to document traditional medicinal plant knowledge, assess patterns of use, and evaluate conservation status and threats. Data were collected from 120 informants, comprising 105 randomly selected general informants and 15 purposively selected key informants, using semi-structured interviews, guided field walks, and direct observations. Quantitative ethnobotanical indices, including preference ranking, Informant Consensus Factor (ICF), Relative Frequency of Citation (RFC), Relative Importance Index (RI), and Cultural Importance Index (CI), were applied to analyze medicinal plant use patterns and cultural significance. A total of 49 medicinal plant species belonging to 32 families were recorded for the treatment of human and livestock ailments. Ocimum lamiifolium and Verbascum sinaiticum were the most preferred species for medicinal use, while Echinops kebericho exhibited the highest RFC (74.1%) for livestock ailments and the highest Cultural Importance Index (0.7). Informant consensus was highest for dermatological disorders in humans and digestive disorders in livestock (ICF = 0.96). Traditional medicinal knowledge was predominantly transmitted orally within families, with elders possessing significantly greater knowledge than younger informants and general community members (P < 0.05). However, no significant differences in medicinal plant knowledge were observed across gender or educational levels (P > 0.05). Several medicinal plant species, including Cissampelos mucronata and Myrtus communis, were identified as increasingly threatened due to anthropogenic pressures such as deforestation and agricultural expansion. The study highlights the rich ethnomedicinal knowledge associated with Hades Forest, alongside the vulnerability of both medicinal plant resources and orally transmitted indigenous knowledge, emphasizing the need for locally tailored conservation and sustainable management strategies. 95

TRADITIONAL MEDICINAL PLANTS IN HADES FOREST, DOBA WEREDA, WEST HARARGHE, ETHIOPIA; LOCAL KNOWLEDGE, CONSERVATION STATUS AND THREATS

2026-05-20T07:03:17Z

TRADITIONAL MEDICINAL PLANTS IN HADES FOREST, DOBA WEREDA, WEST HARARGHE, ETHIOPIA; LOCAL KNOWLEDGE, CONSERVATION STATUS AND THREATS Belayneh (PhD.), Anteneh; G/Meskel (PhD.), Kidane Medicinal plants play a vital role in primary healthcare systems in Ethiopia, where access to modern medical services remains limited. This ethnobotanical study was conducted in Hades Forest and the surrounding communities of Doba Woreda, West Hararghe Zone, Ethiopia, to document traditional medicinal plant knowledge, assess patterns of use, and evaluate conservation status and threats. Data were collected from 120 informants, comprising 105 randomly selected general informants and 15 purposively selected key informants, using semi-structured interviews, guided field walks, and direct observations. Quantitative ethnobotanical indices, including preference ranking, Informant Consensus Factor (ICF), Relative Frequency of Citation (RFC), Relative Importance Index (RI), and Cultural Importance Index (CI), were applied to analyze medicinal plant use patterns and cultural significance. A total of 49 medicinal plant species belonging to 32 families were recorded for the treatment of human and livestock ailments. Ocimum lamiifolium and Verbascum sinaiticum were the most preferred species for medicinal use, while Echinops kebericho exhibited the highest RFC (74.1%) for livestock ailments and the highest Cultural Importance Index (0.7). Informant consensus was highest for dermatological disorders in humans and digestive disorders in livestock (ICF = 0.96). Traditional medicinal knowledge was predominantly transmitted orally within families, with elders possessing significantly greater knowledge than younger informants and general community members (P < 0.05). However, no significant differences in medicinal plant knowledge were observed across gender or educational levels (P > 0.05). Several medicinal plant species, including Cissampelos mucronata and Myrtus communis, were identified as increasingly threatened due to anthropogenic pressures such as deforestation and agricultural expansion. The study highlights the rich ethnomedicinal knowledge associated with Hades Forest, alongside the vulnerability of both medicinal plant resources and orally transmitted indigenous knowledge, emphasizing the need for locally tailored conservation and sustainable management strategies. 95

ETHNOBOTANICAL STUDY OF MEDICINAL AND WILD EDIBLE PLANTS IN DIRE DISTRICT, BORANA ZONE, OROMIA REGION, ETHIOPIA

2024-02-05T08:26:50Z

ETHNOBOTANICAL STUDY OF MEDICINAL AND WILD EDIBLE PLANTS IN DIRE DISTRICT, BORANA ZONE, OROMIA REGION, ETHIOPIA Machi Dida Boru; Antenah Belayneh (PhD); Ermias Lulekal (PhD) There is a potential of medicinal and wild edible plants (WEP) species lore in the Dire district of Borana Zone, which was unexplored for scientific investigation, conservation and sustainable utilization. Therefore, this ethnobotanical study was conducted to explore these potential biodiversity resources in the study area. A total of 136 respondents were selected to collect ethnobotanical data on medicinal and WEP species from four sampled Kebele’s locally called Areda (the smallest administrative structure in Oromia). Interview, focus group discussion (FGD), and guided field walks were conducted with 136 respondents. Informant consensus factor (ICF), preference ranking, paired comparison and direct matrix ranking were calculated. A total of 54 traditional medicinal and 25 wild edible plant species were collected from the study area. About 89.09% species were collected from wild vegetation and 3.64% species from home gardens and 7.27% species were common in both wild and home ga rdens. All edible plants were collected from the wild habitat. The most frequently used medicinal plant parts were roots (43.6%), followed by leaves (23.6%), barks (10.9%), and (10.9%) of stems. The dominant wild edible plant’s part used were fruit (44.83%), root (20.69%), and tuber (13.79%). Among the disease categories respiratory tract problems had higher ICF value of 0.95. Direct matrix ranking showed Vachellia bussei and Grewia villosa as the most utilized species by the community. The recurrent drought aggravated by climate change was the major threat to medicinal and WEP species in the study area followed by habitat destruction due to agricultural expansion. This study encouraged the need for the conservation of such valuable plant species and associated ethnomedicinal knowledge in such drought prone areas to enhance the biodiversity specially to conserve drought-resistant WEP species. Moreover, such documentation of comprehensive ethnomedicinal knowledge is valuable and needs to be scaled-up so that it could be followed up with pharmacological and nutritional analyses in order to give scientific ground to the ethnobotanical knowledge 96p.