Browsing by Author "Mujuni Byabashaija, Denis"

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    Diversity and composition of trees and shrubs in Kasagala forest: a semiarid savannah woodland in central Uganda
    (African journal of ecology, 2010) Gwali, Samson; Okullo, Paul; Hafashimana, David; Mujuni Byabashaija, Denis
    The diversity and composition of trees and shrubs of ‡5 cm diameter at breast height (DBH) were investigated in Kasagala woodland in central Uganda using 1 ha permanent sample plots. A total of 2745 trees and shrubs with a mean stem density of 686 ha)1 were recorded. These included 69 tree species belonging to 28 families and 47 genera. There was a larger number of small stems compared with that of larger stems. There was significant variation in stem size class distribution between the plots (F = 3.14, P = 0.027). The variation in stem densities (counts) across different size classes was significant (F = 8.31, P < 0.001). Species diversity was higher in the low lands compared with that in the elevated sites in the woodland. The species encountered were unevenly distributed across the plots. Species abundance was not significantly different across the sample plots (F = 2.63, P = 0.053). We suggest that the structure of the forest is typical of any regenerating forest, but other human influences may have played a part in the dominance of size classes <10 cm DBH. The causes of the present status and composition of the woodland require further investigation.
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    Taxonomic diversity, distinctness, and abundance of tree and shrub species in Kasagala forest reserve in Uganda: implications for management and conservation policy decisions
    (Tropical Conservation Science, 2010) Gwali, Samson; Okullo, Paul; Hafashimana, David; Mujuni Byabashaija, Denis
    The successful management of natural resources requires access to adequate information on social, economic, ecological, and cultural changes in order to mitigate their impacts through conservation interventions. In most cases, such information is provided in the form of simple diversity indices, which may not predict the complex nature of species functioning in ecosystems. In this study, we used rank abundance, analysis of similarities (ANOSIM), similarity percentages (SIMPER), and taxonomic-diversity and distinctness indices to show the status of tree and shrub species in Kasagala forest reserve in central Uganda. Four 100 × 100 m plots were established in four vegetation strata of the strict nature reserve of the forest, and diameter at breast height (DBH) of trees and shrubs ≥ 5 cm measured. There was no significant difference in species abundance in the four vegetation strata (Kruskal Wallis H = 2.614, p = 0.453; ANOSIM: R = -0.334, p = 0.995). The taxonomic diversity and distinctness of the four vegetation types ranged between 2.414 and 2.786 while the taxonomic distinctness values ranged between 2.897 and 2.978. The taxonomic diversity of the forest is generally even, suggesting a homogeneous community. We suggest that the managers of the forest constitute a continuous monitoring program aimed at controlling the impact of anthropogenic factors, one of the main influences for such low taxonomic distinctness values observed for this forest.