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Effects of anthropogenic disturbances on natural regeneration and population structure of gum arabic tree (Acacia senegal) in the woodlands of Lake Baringo ecosystem, Kenya

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Abstract

Despite the ecological and economic importance of Acacia senegal, little is known about the effects of anthropogenic disturbances on its natural regeneration patterns and population structure. We investigated the effects of these factors within the Lake Baringo woodland ecosystem. Data was collected from 60 plots of 20 m × 20 m systematically distributed in four A. senegal-dominated populations within the Lake Baringo woodland. Sample populations spanned a degradation gradient measured by a population disturbance index (PDI). Trees were measured for diameter at breast height (DBH) and categorized by growth stages: seedling, sapling and adult tree. Higher seedling and sapling densities were recorded in lightly than heavily disturbed populations, but only sapling density was significantly different between the two disturbance levels (P = 0.02). Lightly disturbed populations revealed a reversed J-shape size-class distribution (SCD) indicative of stable structure unlike the heavily disturbed populations. The quotient and permutation indices indicated unstable populations with episodic recruitment and mortality. Our study reveals that natural regeneration and population structure of A. senegal were affected majorly by selective harvesting and heavy browsing. Suitable management strategies to control livestock grazing and illegal tree harvesting within the woodland is required to promote conservation of the species genetic resources

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Acknowledgements

We are grateful to Biotechnology Laboratory and Baringo Sub-Regional Centre of the Rift-Valley Eco-Regional Research Programme, KEFRI, for their help during field activities and data collection. We are also indebted to KEFRI biostatistics staff for data processing and statistical analyses. Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) support to DPK towards this study is also appreciated. We also acknowledge the anonymous reviewers of this manuscript for their valuable inputs.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Kenya Forestry Research Institute, P.O. Box 20412, 00200, Nairobi, Kenya

    Stephen F. Omondi & David W. Odee

  2. School of Biological Sciences, University of Nairobi, P. O. Box 30197-00100, Nairobi, Kenya

    Stephen F. Omondi, George O. Ongamo & James I. Kanya

  3. Centre for Forest Research and Institute for Systems and Integrative Biology, Université Laval, Sainte-Foy, QC, G1V 0A6, Canada

    Damase P. Khasa

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  1. Stephen F. Omondi
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  2. David W. Odee
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  5. Damase P. Khasa
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Correspondence to Stephen F. Omondi.

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Project funding: The study was supported by Kenya Forestry Research Institute (KEFRI/FBEM 2014_2015/2.3); International Foundation for Science (IFS D5452-1).

The online version is available at http://www.springerlink.com.

Corresponding editor: Zhu Hong

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Omondi, S.F., Odee, D.W., Ongamo, G.O. et al. Effects of anthropogenic disturbances on natural regeneration and population structure of gum arabic tree (Acacia senegal) in the woodlands of Lake Baringo ecosystem, Kenya. J. For. Res. 28, 775–785 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11676-016-0349-4

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