Woody Species Diversity, Regeneration Status And Socio Economic Value Under Natural Forest And Adjacent Semi Coffee Forest In The Case Of Kerssa District, Jimma Zone, Southwestern Ethiopia

Abstract

The southwest Ethiopian Afromontane moist forests are home to a variety of plant species and known as one of the world's biodiversity hotspots. They are also the origin and domestication centers for Arabica coffee. The main objective of this study was to investigate woody species composition, diversity, regeneration status and socio-economic value of woody species under natural forest and adjacent semi-coffee forest. This study conducted at Kebena Natural forest, which is found in Jimma zone, Oromia regional state, and shared by four woredas (Kerssa, Limu Kosa, Limu Seka, and Manna). Both vegetation and socioeconomic data collected in April 2023. Systematic sampling method has applied to collect vegetation data. The forests divided into natural forest and semi-coffee forest. Eight (four each) transect lines and a total of 60 plots (30 plots in NF and 30plots SCF) with an area of 20x20 m at a distance of 300 m between transect and 100m within the plots were established to collect the vegetation data. Within the main plot, subplots of 10x10 and 5x5 m, were nested for saplings and seedlings assessment, respectively. Based on the collected data, heterogeneity of the entire species were determined using Shannon-Weiner diversity and Evenness indices. The current situation about population status of NTFP woody species investigated by constructing population structure of the whole vegetation in general, and NTFP bearing species in particular. The results illustrate that 75 woody species representing 48 families were identified. Sixty-nine (69) woody species from natural forest and 55 from semi-coffee forest. The two forest shares high woody species or they had similar woody species composition the only significant variation between two forests was seen in density of growth stage (seedling, and sapling, stage. This study concluded: natural forests exhibited higher diversity and regeneration capacity, semi-coffee forests showed alterations in population structure and species composition influenced by coffee management practices. Natural forests displayed a more vigorous regeneration capacity with higher densities of seedlings and saplings compared to semi-coffee forests. The government and the concerned body should have to proposed a strategy to aware the local community, and encourage the adoption of sustainable management practices in semi-coffee forests to mitigate the negative impacts on woody species regeneration and population structure.