Native Tree Species Regeneration and Diversity in the Mountain Cloud Forests of East Africa

background

This study evaluates the diversity of native species regeneration within 3 native and exotic forest plantations of the indigenous forests of Tatia Hills, East Africa.

Research Goals & Methods

Researchers monitoried species diversity, richness and similarity of regenerated species between exotic plantations of pine, eucalyptus and cypress, as well as between native and exotic forests.

Conclusions & Takeaways

The results showed that the cypress and pine planations had the highest number of native species.  Similar to other studies findings, the native forests had higher species diversity than the exotic plantations. Of the 3 study sites examined, the Chawia had higher species diversity due to land clearing close to native forests to establish the plantation. The authors concluded that the least disturbed native forests had a much higher diversity of regenerated seedlings and saplings than in most disturbed forests. In contrast the exotic forests in the highly disturbed fragments seemed to have the highest species diversity, which indicates that by not continuing to plant exotics and in absence of disturbance could enhance native forests regrowth. The findings of the study imply that native tree species diversity is affected by the level of intensity of disturbances and if regulated native forests can be restored.