Abstract:
Traditional coffee management varies across location and may result in different
effect on structure and regeneration of woody species. This study was aimed to
investigate the effect of forest coffee management practices on composition and
regeneration of woody species in Hurumu District Ilu Aba Bor Zone, South West
Ethiopia. The forest was divided into undisturbed natural forest and managed coffee
forest. 10(ten) transect lines and a total of 8 plots (4 for coffee forest and 4 for natural
forest) of 20x20m area were established in each transect at a distance of 200m and the
distance between the lines was 100m to collect the vegetation data. Within the main
plot 5x5m sub-plots are nested for saplings and seedlings woody species respectively.
All plant species found in each plot were identified and counted and their DBH was
measured following standard procedures. Diameter at breast height (DBH), Height
and inventory data on all woody species were collected from 20 m × 20 m plots.
Seedling and saplings were collected from the 5 m × 5 m plots. In the field species
were identified by their local names (Afan Oromo). For scientific name identification,
the sample specimens were brought to Jimma University Herbarium. In the
Herbarium, Identification was carried out using Flora of Ethiopia and Eritrea
(Edwards et al., 2000; Hedberg et al., 2006) and Useful trees and shrubs for Ethiopia
(Bekele 2007). The voucher specimens were deposited at Jimma University
Herbarium. Shannon diversity index and Sorensen’s similarity index were used to
analyze vegetation data. The indexes were calculated using the formula following
Magurran, (2004), and thereby constructed into bar graphs and tables that show
species composition and regeneration status of the two forests. Regeneration status of
woody species in coffee forests and natural forest was analyzed by comparing the
number of saplings and seedlings with the matured trees following method used by
