Soil seed bank Assessment and its implication to natural regeneration in Komto Afromontane moist forest, Oromia Regional State, western Ethiopia
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.20372/star.v13i1.04Keywords:
Enrichment planting, Forest disturbance, Komto Forest, Natural regeneration, Soil seed bankAbstract
Ethiopia's natural vegetation has been decreasing since the 20th century, necessitating regular monitoring of its conservation status and regeneration capacity. Soil seed bank composition plays a crucial role in restoring damaged land. This study investigated the role of soil seed bank in Komto Forest's natural regeneration. Out of forty sample plots, 27 were used for soil seed bank evaluation, while the remaining 40 were used to gather woody species. Soil samples were taken from four depths, each three centimeters thick. The study analyzed the floral richness, seed density, and depth distribution of persistent seeds in soil seed banks, using Shannon-Wiener Diversity Index and Jaccard's coefficient of similarity. The study found that Asteraceae had the highest percentage of seed banks (21.57%), followed by Solanaceae (9.80%). However, the study found that soil seed banks likely don't play a significant role in the natural regeneration of Komto Forest, as herb is the most common growth form and only five tree species were found in the seed bank investigation. Prior to the irreparable degradation of Komto Forest, proactive restoration methods are crucial, including enrichment planting with native forest tree species.
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Accepted 2024-02-16
Published 2024-03-30
