Plant Diversity Study on Kelekal Protected Forest in Debre Markos Town District, East Gojjam, Amhara Region, Ethiopia

Abstract

This research was aimed to investigate floristic composition and structure of Kelekal protected forest established since 1999. For plant data collection, 33 different quadrats having 400 m² along seven different line transects were used. The structural data like Frequencies, Density, DBH, Height, Relative dominance, Relative density and IVI values were calculated for each species and for the selected woody plants. The woody plant species having DBH ? 2.5 cm and height greater than 2.5 m were measured. A hierarchical cluster analysis was performed to classify different plant communities. Shannon winner diversity indices and Sorensen’s similarity indices were used to compare the identified plant communities. Endemic and economically important plants were identified from Flora of Ethiopia and Eritrea books. This research resulted 103 different vascular plants. Eight (7.77%) plants are endemic and the “K” partitioning in the R program using hierarchical cluster analysis resulted three-plant community types. The general distribution pattern of these woody plants at different DBH and height classes showed an inverted “J” shape pattern. Four different population patterns were investigated from the density of these species recorded at different DBH class. The result of the structural data provides pertinent information for future forest management techniques in Kelekal protected forest.