Species and structural diversity of church forests in a fragmented Ethiopian Highland landscape

Wassie, Alemayehu; Sterck, Frank J.; Bongers, Frans

doi:10.1111/j.1654-1103.2010.01202.x

Cited by 111 publications

(111 citation statements)

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“…Original vegetation data were obtained from five different field studies covering a total of 78 unique sites (Fig 1a): Aerts et al (2006), 10 forests, 31 20×20m plots; Aynekulu et al (2012), 1 forest, 29 50×50m plots; TewoldeBerhan (2003), 1 forest, 16 10×10m plots; Teklehaimanot et al (2004), 38 forests, plotless inventory data; Wassie et al (2010), 28 forests, 810 10×10m plots. The main criteria for including forest patches in the sampling strategy used across the studies included accessibility, permission and local knowledge of forest presence.…”

Section: Vegetation Data Collection and Analysismentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In the highlands of northern and central Ethiopia, sacred groves associated with Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo churches and monasteries (EOTC) are known as 'church forests'. These church forests are virtually all that is left of the Ethiopian Afromontane forest (Aerts et al 2006;Wassie et al 2010;Berhane et al 2013;Jacob et al 2014) (Fig. 1 and Fig.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…A number of studies has evaluated the conservation value of these church forests at local scales (e.g. Aerts et al 2006;Wassie et al 2010;Berhane et al 2013) but, to date, there is no information on the contribution of church forests to the conservation of biodiversity and ecosystem services at the larger scale, i.e. the entire Ethiopian highlands.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Conservation of the Ethiopian church forests: Threats, opportunities and implications for their management

Aerts

Overtveld

November

et al. 2016

Science of The Total Environment

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117

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In the central and northern highlands of Ethiopia, native forest and forest biodiversity is almost confined to sacred groves associated with churches. Local communities rely on these 'church forests' for essential ecosystem services including shade and fresh water but little is known about their region-wide distribution and conservation value. We (1) performed the first large-scale spatially-explicit assessment of church forests, combining remote-sensing and field data, to assess the number of forests, their size, shape, isolation and woody plant species composition, (2) determined their plant communities and related these to environmental variables and potential natural vegetation, (3) identified the main challenges to biodiversity conservation in view of plant population dynamics and anthropogenic disturbances, and (4) present guidelines for management and policy. The 394 forests identified in satellite images were on average ~2 ha in size and generally separated by ~2 km from the nearest neighboring forest. Shape complexity, not size, decreased from the northern to the central highlands. Overall, 148 indigenous tree, shrub and liana species were recorded across the 78 surveyed forests. Patch α-diversity increased with mean annual precipitation, but typically only 25 woody species occurred per patch. The combined results showed that >50% of tree species present in tropical northeast Africa were still present in the 78 studied church forests, even though individual forests were small and relatively species-poor. Tree species composition of church forests varied with elevation and precipitation, and resembled the potential natural vegetation. With a wide distribution over the landscape, these church forests have high conservation value. However, long-term conservation of biodiversity of individual patches and evolutionary potential of species may be threatened by isolation, small sizes of tree species populations and disturbance, especially when considering climate change. Forest management interventions are essential and should be supported by environmental education and other forms of public engagement.

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Section: Vegetation Data Collection and Analysismentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Conservation of the Ethiopian church forests: Threats, opportunities and implications for their management

Aerts

Overtveld

November

et al. 2016

Science of The Total Environment

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117

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“…There are a number of studies that suggested higher species diversity, i.e, species richness and evenness, in areas that relatively receive better conservation from human and livestock induced encroachments [13][14][15]. Moreover, compared with open areas, there are a number of studies that documented higher species diversity of wild mammals, birds, and woody species inside area exclosures and protected areas [16][17][18][19]. Unlike wild mammals and woody species richness, the species richness of birds was higher in the EHH than in the FGH.…”

Section: Species Diversities Of Wild Mammals Birds and Woody Speciesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Contribution of the Guassa Community Eco-Lodge to the Conservation of Wild Mammals, Birds and Woody Plants in Menz-Gera Midir District, North Shewa Administrative Zone, Ethiopia

Tadesse¹,

Teketay²

2017

IJAWB

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In recent decades, several eco-lodges have been established in biodiversity areas of Ethiopia, but quantitative scientific information that helps guide the sustainable management of eco-lodges is lacking. This study was the first attempt that examined the role of the GCEL for the conservation of wild mammals, birds, and woody plants. The objective of the study was to characterize and quantify species diversities and densities of wild mammals, birds, and woody plants in the compound of the eco-lodge and in the adjacent field. Following a total of six randomly aligned transects, field data on the species richness and abundance of wild mammals and birds across the landscape were collected in the compound of the GCEL (here after the EHH) versus in the adjacent field (here after the FGH).Moreover, a systematic sampling design was employed to lay a total of 39 circular plots (i.e, each with a radius of 10m) and collect data on the species richness and abundance of woody plants. The results revealed that species richness, diversity, and evenness of wild mammals were 11, 1.6 and 0.67, respectively, in the EHH and 11, 1.4 and 0.6, respectively, in the FGH. Similarly, species richness, diversity and evenness of birds were 33, 3.3 and 0.96, respectively, in the EHH, and 29, 3 and 0.88, respectively, in the FGH. The woody species were represented by 16, 2.7 and 0.97 species richness, diversity, and evenness, respectively, in the EHH, and 16, 2.6 and 0.94 species richness, diversity, and evenness, respectively, in the FGH. The total mean densities of wild mammals recorded in the EHH and FGH were 16.0 and 7.5 individuals, respectively. Similarly, the total mean densities of birds computed in the EHH and FGH were 668.5 and 158.3 individuals, respectively. Moreover, the total mean densities of woody species estimated in the EHH and FGH were 37,665.2 and 16,845.6 individuals, respectively. The findings of this study generated quantitative scientific information for policy-makers and planners that guides them toward better and more informed decision-making for eco-lodge establishment and management that is geared toward biodiversity conservation.

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“…These are traditionally managed small patches of remnant forest yet having a great potential for conservation of many species (Bhagwat and Rutte, 2006;Wassie et al, 2010). Similarly, the local peoples in Gobeya rural administrative of Tehuledere district have a long tradition of planting trees and conserving forests in burial sites.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A survey on species diversity, abundance and community structure of woody plants in burial sites in Gobeya Rural Administrative of Tehuledere District, South Wollo, Ethiopia

Seid¹,

Santini²

2017

J. Ecol. Nat. Environ.

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Tropical forests generally host high biodiversity and are important sources of ecological, socio-cultural and economic services. There are also many sacred forests in many parts of the world, including burial sites in Gobeya rural administrative, having a significant ecological and socio-economic value. This study aims to quantify species diversity, abundance and vegetation structure, and also to determine the ecological importance of woody plant species in burial forest sites. The study was carried out between 13%). In this regard, religious teaching takes the highest social motive behind the tradition of protecting burial sites in the study area. Burial sites provide many socio-economic services including firewood, construction products, livestock forage, medicinal plants and other household products. They also play as important refugia for wild animals such as hyena, fox, porcupine, monkey and many other bird species. So, protection of burial sites should be ensured over long terms, and the indigenous practices of protecting burial forest sites should be preserved. Therefore, burial sites can be delineated as an important landscape to protect and preserve these socio-economically important plant species.

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Species and structural diversity of church forests in a fragmented Ethiopian Highland landscape

Cited by 111 publications

References 50 publications

Conservation of the Ethiopian church forests: Threats, opportunities and implications for their management

Conservation of the Ethiopian church forests: Threats, opportunities and implications for their management

Contribution of the Guassa Community Eco-Lodge to the Conservation of Wild Mammals, Birds and Woody Plants in Menz-Gera Midir District, North Shewa Administrative Zone, Ethiopia

A survey on species diversity, abundance and community structure of woody plants in burial sites in Gobeya Rural Administrative of Tehuledere District, South Wollo, Ethiopia

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