Abstract:
ThisstudywasconductedonSetema
NaturalForest,locatedinSetemaDistrict,JimmaZone,OromiaNational
RegionalStateinSouthwesternEthiopia.Theobjectiveofthestudywastoassessthewoodyspeciesdiv
ersity,structureandregenerationstatusoftheforest.Tocollectthevegetationdata,eighttransectswe
relaidwithregularintervalof200mdistance.Alongeachtransect,plotsof20×20(400m2)weresystem
aticallyestablishedat25minterval(elevation).Atotalof47speciesbelongingto44generaand31fami
lieswererecordedandidentified.Fabaceaewasthemostdominantfamilyrepresentedbysixspeciesfo
llowedbyRubaceaerepresentedbyfivespeciesandEuphourbaceaerepresentedbythreespecies.The
basalareaoftheforestwas50.7m2ha-
1
.ThetotalIVIofallwoodytrees/shrubsintheforestwas295.57,ofwhich;Cordiaafricanacontributed
43.85IVI(14.8%)makingitthemostecologicallyimportantspeciesintheforest.Sixplantcommunitie
snamely:-Scheffleraabyssinica–PodocarpusfalcatusCommunitytype,Ficussur–
SyziumguinenseeCommunitytype,Cordiaafricana–
AlbiziaschimperianaCommunitytype,Clausenaanisata–
ApodytesdimidiateCommunitytype,PrunusAfricanaMillettiaferrugineaCommunitytypeandPolyscia
sfulva--FicussycomorusCommunitytypewereidentified.Thedensitiesforseedlings,saplingsandmatu
rewoodytree/shrubwere1713.95,1166.42and1628individual’sha-
1respectively.Theregenerationstatusandpopulationstructureoftheforestindicatedthattherearehu
man-induceddisturbancesintheareaandimmediateconservationactionsshouldbeimplemented.
