ఆగ్రోటెక్నాలజీ

నైరూప్య

Effect of Species Diversity and Forest Structure on Soil Chemical Properties of Gatira George’s Church Forest and Gemeshat Natural Forest, in North East Ethiopia

Andualem Ayalew*, Amare Tesfaye, Yigardu Mulat

The remnant forests located near Woregessa town, North Eastern Ethiopia were studied to determine the spatial variability of Species diversity and forest structure on soil chemical properties to provide information for sustainable management. A total of 60 and 9 quadrats, measuring 20 m × 20 m each, were established along line transects lying 100 m far apart were used to collect tree data across Gemeshat natural forest and Gatira George’s church forest using stratified random sampling respectively. In each major plot, subplots 5 m × 5 m for shrubs data, and 2 m × 2 m were established at the center and corner for seedlings and saplings data respectively. Altitude and forest area was measured using GPS and QGIS 2.18 using ground forest boundaries collected point data respectively. DBH, basal area, and IVI were used for vegetation structure. The ratio of seedling, sapling and tree numbers were used for regeneration study. In both remnant forests, sixty-four species, representing 40 families were recorded. The most diverse family was Euphorbiaceae. The higher species diversity was observed in Gemeshat natural forest than Gatira George’s church forest. Soil physio-chemical properties (Soil moisture, soil pH, OC, OM, TN and available P) decrease as soil depth increase and significantly different between two remnant forests at P<0.05. The present finding imply to further study Soil seed bank, seed rain, reproduction biology, the medicinal value of woody species and appropriate conservation measures for sustainable use of the forest resources in both forests are recommended.