WITHDRAWN: Effects of Landscape Change on Floristic Composition and Structure in the Bale Mountains National Park, Southeastern Ethiopia

Abstract

BackgroundBale mountains national park (BMNP) is one of the 34 International Biodiversity Hotspots that comprise a variety of life forms. However, it faces a critical challenge from subsistence farming and overgrazing. This study was made to analyze the effects of landscape change on floristic composition, diversity, and structure in BMNP. The vegetation and environmental data were collected from 96 plots that were laid along 8 line transects. Vegetation hierarchical clustering and landscape structural analysis was made using R software version 3.5.2 and FRAGSTATS version 4.2.1, respectively. ResultsA total of 205 species that belongs to 153 genera and 71 families were identified. The overall Shannon diversity and evenness index was 4.34 and 0.81, respectively. Both the species richness and Shannon diversity index were significantly higher (p < 0.05) in the edge habitat (40 ± 0.2 and 2.93 ± 0.2, respectively) than the interior (25 ± 4.5 and 2.43 ± 0.4, respectively). Conversely, the basal area was lower in the interior habitat (173.79 m2 ha-1) than the edge (64.15 m2 ha-1). Moreover, as AREA_MN and COA of patches increases, species richness, diversity, evenness, woody species density, basal area, DBH, and height also increases. Whereas, as PN, SHAPE_MN, ED, ENN_MN, and IJI of patches increases, those floristic compositions and structural variables decrease. ConclusionThis study revealed that BMNP is a biologically diverse and ecologically significant area that provides a variety of ecological and economic benefits to the surrounding communities and the country at large. However, its landscape is changing alarmingly and urgent restoration and conservation action needs to be taken to reverse this condition.