The effects of environmental variability and forest management on natural forest carbon stock in northwestern Ethiopia.

Natural forests are crucial for climate change mitigation and adaptation, but deforestation and degradation challenges highly reduce their value. This study evaluates the potential of natural forest carbon stock and the influence of management interventions on enhancing forest carbon storage capacity. Based on forest area cover, a study was conducted in nine purposely selected forest patches across various forest ecosystems. Data on diameter, height, and environmental variables from various forest management approaches were collected and analyzed with R Ver. 4.1. The findings revealed a substantial difference (p .029) in carbon stock between environmental variables and management interventions. The findings revealed a strong connection between environmental variables and the overall pool of carbon stock within forest patches (p .029). Carbon stocks were highest in the Moist-montane forest ecosystem (778.25 ton/ha), moderate slope (1019.5 ton/ha), lower elevation (614.50 ton/ha), southwest-facing (800.1 ton/ha) and area exclosures (993.2 ton/ha). Accordingly, natural forests, particularly unmanaged parts, are sensitive to anthropogenic stresses, decreasing their ability to efficiently store carbon. As a result, the study highlighted the importance of sustainable forest management, particularly area exclosures and participatory forest management, in increasing forest carbon storage potential.

Effects of environmental changes on vegetation and soil characteristics at Lewi Afromontane forest and wetland in Northwestern Ethiopia.

Due to anthropogenic pressures, Ethiopian Afromontane forests, particularly Lewi Mountain and Wetland, are threatened and require urgent restoration planning and implementation. However, there is a lack of scientific baseline information to provide efficient restoration planning and implementation. Thus, this scientific research is being conducted to evaluate the condition of the vegetation and soil properties, specific to environmental variability in the study area. The study area was stratified as a natural forest patch, plantation stands, and wetland, and transect lines were established at a distance of 200 m across the elevation. The 0.04-ha plots were established at transects with a distance of 200 m. The biophysical and environmental data were collected and analyzed at each plot using descriptive and inferential statistics. The vegetation and soil parameters of natural forest patches, slopes, aspects, and elevation gradients vary considerably (p 0.029). The natural forest patches, gentle slopes, lower elevations, and northeast-facing gradients had the largest species diversity (1.7-2.4) and carbon stock (1105.9 tons ha-1). At the natural forest patch, there was significant human and livestock disturbance (3) and sporadic vegetation cover (< 50%). Natural forest patches and plantation stands had the best textural proportion, organic carbon (2.5-2.63%), total nitrogen (0.22-0.23%), available phosphorus (27.9 ppm), and available potassium (11.3-12.9 ppm). The study discovered that the soil and vegetation state at Lewi Mountain and the wetland fluctuated in response to environmental changes, necessitating restoration design and implementation tailored to environmental variability. This data is critical as a foundation for local, national, and international ecological restoration agents.

Species diversity, relative abundance, and distribution of avifauna in different habitats within Lewi Mountain, Awi zone, Ethiopia.

Almost all habitats on the planet are home to birds, from the lowest deserts to the highest mountains. Birds have proved to be excellent indicators of biodiversity or productivity as they are easily observed and are relatively well known compared to other animals. Although bird species are distributed across the globe, habitat destruction, fragmentation, and loss have adversely affected their survival and distribution. Therefore, this study is an attempt to prepare a baseline data on avifaunal diversity with their relative abundance and species richness in different habitats within Lewi Mountain Awi zone, Ethiopia from December 2018 to October 2020, including both the wet and dry seasons. The sampling sites were stratified based on land cover features, and transect count techniques were employed. The data were summarized per season and habitat type in the excel spreadsheet throughout the study period. In this study, one-way ANOVA was used to determine the effect of habitat type on species diversity and abundance. T-tests are also use to analyze bird populations among seasons. A total of 1591 individuals, 56 bird species belonging to 29 families and 12 orders were identified during the two seasons. The Wetland habitat had the highest species diversity index (H' = 3) with high evenness index (J = 0.88) during the dry season followed by the open shrubs habitat (H' = 2.97) with the highest evenness index (J = 0.95). The settlement had the lowest species diversity (H' = 2.17) and the lowest evenness index (J = 0.8) in the same season. During the wet season, disturbed forests recorded the highest Shannon-Weiner diversity index (H' = 3.2) with the highest evenness (J = 0.92) followed by Wetland habitat (H' = 2.97) with high evenness index (J = 0.87). During dry and wet seasons, the abundance of birds' species in different habitat types did not differ significantly (F = 1.91, p = 0.193, dƒ = 3) and (F = 1.579, p = 0.199, dƒ = 3), respectively. From all studied habitats, the overall mean abundance of bird species between dry and wet seasons was significantly different (F = 3642, P ≤ 0.001, dƒ = 1). In conclusion, settlement had the lowest species diversity and the lowest evenness index in the research area for the entire season. The habitats are important to the conservation of birds, so good habitat management is required, such as minimizing agricultural expansion and overgrazing, demarcating the forest habitats for wild species only, and creating awareness among local communities.

Diversity and relative abundance of bird species in the two habitat types of Dokima forest Awi zone, Ethiopia.

Birds are the most widespread vertebrate group, as they can be found in practically every type of habitat. However, lack of knowledge on bird ecology in Afrotropical highlands and bird habitat degradation are the main problems that is why this research was studied. The study was conducted in Awi zone, Amhara National Regional State with the objective of the diversity and relative abundance of bird species in the two habitat types of Dokima forest in Awi zone, Ethiopia. Between November 2018 and December 2020, the transect method was conducted in both dry and wet seasons. Using one-way ANOVA, the effect of seasons and habitats on species richness and abundance was investigated and compared. In both the dry and wet seasons, a total of 2233 individuals, 47 species belonging to 35 families, and 14 orders were recorded. The abundance of bird species was not statistically differed between habitat types in the dry season, but it was statistically significantly in the wet season. The mean abundance of bird species differed significantly between the dry and wet seasons. In the dry season, the forest habitat type had the highest species diversity index (H' = 3.18) and the highest evenness (J = 0.94), while in the wet season, the forest habitat type had the highest evenness (J = 0.94). These habitats must be conserved in order to protect the birds that live in the area.

Diet composition and preferences of Bohor reedbuck (Redunca redunca ) in the compound of Alage College, Central Rift Valley of Ethiopia.

Numerous indices have been developed to compare use and availability of foods in field diets of wild ungulates. However, little attention has been given to laboratory analysis for comparing food preferences. To this end, a study aimed at investigating the diet composition and preference of Bohor reedbuck was conducted in the compound of Alage Agricultural College, Central Rift Valley of Ethiopia from 2017 to 2018 encompassing both dry and wet seasons. Bohor reedbuck is a medium sized horned antelope species endemic to Africa. Continuous focal animal observation was used to collect the data on plant species included in the diet of Bohor reedbuck. Focal individuals' observation was carried out for 30 min in 10 min sampling interval during their active feeding period (early morning and late afternoon) over four different habitat types. The nutrient composition of plants consumed was determined using wet chemistry laboratory analysis. Bohor reedbucks consumed 15 species of plants; herbs comprised 94.3% of the foods they consumed. Digitaria abyssinica was the most preferred plant species with highest crude protein (23.75%) and less fiber (61.8% nitrogen detergent fiber and 27.8% acid detergent fiber). These findings suggest that food preference of Bohor reedbuck is determined by the nutritional content of the plant it consumed, since the area is more or less natural habitat in terms of plant species composition. For sustainable conservation of the species, there is a need to actively promote management of the plant species most preferred by the reedbuck to feed on.