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Replication data for: Altitudinal variation and conservation priorities of vegetation along the Great Rift Valley escarpment, northern Ethiopia

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Title Replication data for: Altitudinal variation and conservation priorities of vegetation along the Great Rift Valley escarpment, northern Ethiopia
 
Identifier https://doi.org/10.34725/DVN/YIJS3B
 
Creator Aynekulu, Ermias
Aerts, Raf
Moonen, Pieter
Denich, Manfred
Gebrehiwot, Kindeya
Va ̊gen, Tor-Gunnar
Mekuria, Wolde
Boehmer, Hans Juergen
 
Publisher World Agroforestry - Research Data Repository
 
Description Understanding plant species distribution patterns along environmental gradients is fundamental to managing ecosystems, particularly when habitats are fragmented due to intensive human land-use pressure. To assist management of the remaining vegetation of the Eastern Afromontane Biodiversity Hotspot, plant species richness and diversity patterns were analyzed along the main elevation gradient (1,000–2,760 m) of the Great Rift Valley escarpment in northern Ethiopia, using 29 plots established at 100-m elevation intervals. A total of 129 vascular plant species belonging to 59 families was recorded. Species richness and diversity showed a hump-shaped relationship with elevation, peaking at mid-elevation (1,900–2,200 m). Beta diversity values indicated medium species turnover along the elevation gradient and were lowest at mid-elevation. Elevation strongly partitioned the plant communities (r = 0.98; P\0.001). Four plant communities were identified along the elevation gradient: Juniperus procera–Clutia lanceolata community (2,400–2,760 m), Abutilon longicuspe–Calpurnia aurea community (1,900–2,300 m), Dracaena ombet– Acacia etbaica community (1,400–1,800 m), and Acacia mellifera–Dobera glabra community (1,000–1,300 m). To optimize conservation of species and plant communities, it is recommended that a conservation corridor be established along the elevation gradient that includes all four plant communities. This strategy—in contrast to creating single isolated reserves in zones with high species richness—is necessary for the habitat protection of species with narrow elevational ranges, in particular the globally endangered Nubian dragon tree (Dracaena ombet).
 
Subject Agricultural Sciences
Afromontane
Diversity
Conservation
Dracaena ombet
Elevation
Forest fragment
Plant community
Species richness
 
Date 2012
 
Type Excel