Journal
BIODIVERSITY AND CONSERVATION
Volume 21, Issue 10, Pages 2691-2707Publisher
SPRINGER
DOI: 10.1007/s10531-012-0328-9
Keywords
Afromontane; Diversity; Conservation; Dracaena ombet; Elevation; Forest fragment; Plant community; Species richness
Funding
- German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD)
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Understanding plant species distribution patterns along environmental gradients is fundamental to managing ecosystems, particularly when habitats are fragmented due to intensive human land-use pressure. To assist management of the remaining vegetation of the Eastern Afromontane Biodiversity Hotspot, plant species richness and diversity patterns were analyzed along the main elevation gradient (1,000-2,760 m) of the Great Rift Valley escarpment in northern Ethiopia, using 29 plots established at 100-m elevation intervals. A total of 129 vascular plant species belonging to 59 families was recorded. Species richness and diversity showed a hump-shaped relationship with elevation, peaking at mid-elevation (1,900-2,200 m). Beta diversity values indicated medium species turnover along the elevation gradient and were lowest at mid-elevation. Elevation strongly partitioned the plant communities (r = 0.98; P < 0.001). Four plant communities were identified along the elevation gradient: Juniperus procera-Clutia lanceolata community (2,400-2,760 m), Abutilon longicuspe-Calpurnia aurea community (1,900-2,300 m), Dracaena ombet-Acacia etbaica community (1,400-1,800 m), and Acacia mellifera-Dobera glabra community (1,000-1,300 m). To optimize conservation of species and plant communities, it is recommended that a conservation corridor be established along the elevation gradient that includes all four plant communities. This strategy-in contrast to creating single isolated reserves in zones with high species richness-is necessary for the habitat protection of species with narrow elevational ranges, in particular the globally endangered Nubian dragon tree (Dracaena ombet).
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