Skip to main content
Log in

A comparative assessment on regeneration status of indigenous woody plants in Eucalyptus grandis plantation and adjacent natural forest

  • Research Paper
  • Published:
Journal of Forestry Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Diversity, density and species composition of naturally regenerated woody plants under Eucalyptus grandis plantation and the adjacent natural forest were investigated and compared. Twenty plots, with an area of 20 m × 20 m for each, were established in both of E. grandis plantation and adjacent natural forest, independently. In each plot, species name, abundance, diameter and height were recorded. Numbers of seedling were collected in five sub-plots (4 m2) within each major plot. A total of 46 species in the plantation, and 52 species in the natural forest, which belongs to 36 families were recorded. The diversity of species (H′) is 2.19 in the plantation and 2.74 in the natural forest. The density of understory woody plant was 3842 stems/ha in the plantation and 4122 stems/ha in the natural forest. The densities of seedlings in the natural forest and the plantation were 8101 stems/ha and 4151 stems/ha, respectively. High similarity of woody species composition was found between the natural forest and the plantation. The E. grandis plantation was found favoring the regeneration and growth of Millitia ferruginia and Coffea arabica in a much better way than other underneath woody species.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Carnus JM, Parrotta J, Brockerhoff EG, Arbez M, Jactel H, Kremer A, Lamb D, Hara KO, Walters B. 2003. Planted forests and biodiversity: UNFF inter-sessional experts meeting on the role of planted forests in sustainable forest management. New Zealand. 54 pp.

  • Christian DP, Hoffman W, Hanowski JM, Niemi GJ, Beyea J. 1998. Bird and mammal diversity on woody biomass plantations in North America. Biomass and Bioenergy, 14: 395–402.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Davis AJ, Huijbregts H, Krikken J. 2001. The role of local and regional processes in shaping dung beetle communities in tropical forest plantations in Borneo. Global Ecology and Biogeography, 9(4): 281–292.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • EMA (Ethiopian Mapping Authority). 1998. National Atlas of Ethiopia. Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 76 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Eshetu Y. 2001. Diversity of naturally regenerated native woody species in forest plantations in the Ethiopian highlands. New Forests, 22: 159–177.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Eshetu Y, Olavi L. 2003. Indigenous woody species diversity in Eucalyptus globulus Labill. ssp. globulus plantations in the Ethiopian highlands. Biodiversity and Conservation, 12(3): 567–582.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Evans J. 1992. Plantation forestry in the tropics: 2nd Edition. New York: Oxford University Press, 403 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • FAO. 2001. State of the world’s forests. FAO, Rome.

    Google Scholar 

  • Feyera S, Demel T. 2001. Regeneration of indigenous woody species under the canopy of tree plantations in central Ethiopia. Tropical Ecology, 42: 175–185.

    Google Scholar 

  • Feyera S, Demel T, Bertake N. 2002. Native woody species regeneration in exotic tree plantations at Munessa-Shashemene forest, Southern Ethiopia. New Forests, 24: 131–145.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fosberg FR. 1961. A classification of vegetation for general purposes. Tropical Ecology, 2: 1–28.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jagger P, Pender J. 2000. The role of trees for sustainable management of less favored lands: the case of eucalypts in Ethiopia. Washington: International Food Research Institute, 81pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kent M, Coker P. 1994. Vegetation description and analysis: a practical approach. England: John Wiley and Sons, 363pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Krebs CJ. 1989. Ecological methodology. New York: Harper and Row Cop.

    Google Scholar 

  • Loumeto J, Huttel C. 1997. Understory vegetation in fast growing tree plantations on savanna soils in Congo. Forest Ecology and Management, 99: 65–81.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lugo AE. 1992. Tree plantation for rehabilitating damaged lands in the tropics. In: M.K. Wali (Eds.), Environmental Rehabilitation. Hague: SPB Academic Publishing, pp. 247–255.

    Google Scholar 

  • Michelsen A, Lisanework N, Friis I, Holst N. 1996. Comparisons of understory vegetation and soil fertility in plantations and adjacent natural forests in the Ethiopian highlands. Applied Ecology, 33: 627–642.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mulugeta L, Demel T. 2004. Restoration of native forest flora in the degraded high lands of Ethiopia: constraints and opportunities. Ethiopian Journal of Science, 27: 75–90.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mulugeta L, Taye G, Demel T. 2004. Effects of canopy cover and understory environment of tree plantations on species richness, density and sizes of colonizing woody species in Southern Ethiopia. Forest Ecology and Management, 194: 1–10.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Norton DA. 1998. Indigenous biodiversity conservation and plantation forestry: options for the future. New Zealand Forest, 43: 34–39.

    Google Scholar 

  • Parrotta JA, Turnbull WJ, Jones N. 1997. Catalysing native forest regeneration on degraded tropical lands. Forest Ecology and Management, 99: 1–7.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Powers JS, Haggar JP, Fisher RF. 1997. The effect of overstory composition on understory woody regeneration and species richness in 7- year-old plantations in Costa Rica. Forest Ecology and Management, 99: 43–54.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • SAS. 2003. SAS System Softtware, Version 9.1. SAS Institute Inc. Cary, NC, USA.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Shiferaw Alem.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Alem, S., Woldemariam, T. A comparative assessment on regeneration status of indigenous woody plants in Eucalyptus grandis plantation and adjacent natural forest. Journal of Forestry Research 20, 31–36 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11676-009-0006-2

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11676-009-0006-2

Keywords

Navigation