Plant Biology and Biodiversity Management
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Item Vegetation Ecology of Sida Forest and Ethnobotany as Well as the Distribution of Piliostigma Thonningii in South Omo Zone, Southern Ethiopia(Addis Ababa University, 2024-06) Mesfin Belete; Zerihun Woldu; Zemede Asfaw; Ermias LulekalA study on the vegetation ecology and ethnobotany as well the predition of Piliostigma thonnigii was carried out in Sida forest in South Omo Zone, southern Ethiopia. The aim was to evaluate the status of the forest with variables governing species distribution pattern and further document the ethnobotanical uses and distribution of P. thonningii. Vegetation and environmental data were collected from 82 sample plots (each 20 m × 20 m) placed along twelve transect lines, which is 1km apart and 300m distance between plots. Height and DBH were measured for each woody species that had a height ≥ 2 m and DBH ≥ 2.5 cm. From ech plot a kilogram of composite soil samples were brought to the Wolkite soil testing laboratory for physicochemical analysis. Using stratified random sampling methods, 84 informants were sampled for ethnobotanical data collection focusing on P. thonningii. Structured and semi-structured interviews, guided field walks, and focus group discussions (six individuals in each Kebele) were used for ethnobotanical data collection. Thirty-six occurrence points and nine environmental predictor variables were used to predict the distribution of P. thonningii, which was modeled using MaxEnt (MaxEnt v. 3.4.1). Density, frequency, basal area, importance value index, and size class distribution were used to analyze the vegetation structure of Sida Forest. Hierarchical cluster analysis was used to compute and identify plant community types and CCA was used to analyze the relationship between plant communities and environmental variables. The Shannon-Wiener diversity index was used to compute species richness, diversity, and evenness. Sorensen’s similarity coefficient was used to measure species similarities among the plant community types. Ethnobotanical knowledge held by informants was analysed using relevant descriptive statistical methods, Pearson’s chi-square test, direct matrix and pair-wise ranking. The results of the study revealed that the study area harboured 254 plant species belonging to 180 genera and 82 families. Nine (3.5%) of the species are endemic. Fabaceae (26), Asteraceae (15), and Lamiaceaae (15) were the dominant families in terms of the number of species. Shrubs occupied the highest (35%) percentage followed by herbs (30%). The overall density of woody species was 682.32/ha. The highest density (324.39/ha) was found in the lower DBH class (2.5-10 cm), while the lowest (13.72/ha) was in the higher DBH class (> 60cm). DBH and height class distribution showed an inverted J-shape distribution. The frequency of woody species ranged from 1.2% to 42.7%. The basal area of woody species is 24.15 m2/ha. The IVI value ranges from 0.13 to 14.62. Five plant community types were identified and the environmental factors such as elevation, slope, aspect, sand, pH, and disturbance were the major environmental factors determining plant species distribution and community formation. The Shannon-Wiener diversity indicates species diversity ranging from 3.25 to 4.44. Soresen’s index of similarity showed the presence of the highest similarity between communities two and three (58.9%), while the least similarity was found between community one and community five (18.3%). The physicochemical properties of the soil such as OC, OM, TN, CEC, and exchangeable Mg2+ showed a positive correlation with elevation, while BD, pH, EC, Av. P, exchangeable Ca2+, and exchangeable K+ had a negative correlation with elevation. The results also showed that P. thonningii provides different functions to people’s livelihoods. The results indicated that out of 862,247.05 ha of the total study area, 152,398.39ha (17.67%) was suitable for P. thonningii, of which 2,329.50 ha (0.27%) were highly suitable, 33,809.59 ha (3.92%) moderately suitable and 116,259.31ha (13.84%) was less suitable. Seasonality and annual range of temperature, solar radiation, and elevation had the highest contribution (69.4 %) in predicting P. thonningii distribution. Agricultural expansion, firewood collection and harvesting for fencing were the most threatening factors to Sida Forest in general and P. thonningii in particular. Field survey also confirmed that settlement, forest fire, and human encroachment were threatening factors to Sida Forest. Thus, Sida Forest requires urgent interventions that reduce the threat levels for the conservation of the forest in general and useful plants in particular.Item Woody Plant Species Diversity, Land Cover Dynamics and Ethnobotany of Medicinal Plants in Habru District, Amhara Region, Ethiopia(Addis Ababa University, 2024-06) Mulugeta Alemu; Ermias Lulekal; Zemede Asfaw; Bikila WarkinehGeospatial techniques are vital for examining the dynamics of land use land cover (LULC) in specific areas. In Ethiopia, a blend of human activities and natural factors is threatening the vegetation, leading to the degradation and fragmentation of forests. The people of Habru District in the North Wollo Zone of Amhara Region, Ethiopia, have a rich tradition of utilizing local plant resources for a variety of needs, particularly for traditional herbal remedy preparation and use. However, the district has not been adequately studied for its land use dynamics, ecological and ethnobotanical resources linked with the associated knowledge. This gap highlights the necessity for detailed studies on woody plant species diversity in relation to land use land cover dynamics and ethnobotanical study of medicinal plants and their uses within the study area. Moreover, Ethiopia's culture on the utilization of traditional medicine as a primary healthcare system for treating human diseases calls for empirical research to validate these practices against infectious diseases. Therefore, this study was aimed to examine the LULC change dynamics in Habru District for a period of 36 years (1985 – 2021), assessing the woody species composition, structure and plant community analysis of Gerado, Micha and Mekelet Forest Patches, documenting and analyzing medicinal plant species used by the local communities to treat human ailments along with the associated traditional knowledge and practices and empirically validating the efficacy of selected traditional herbal remedies used by the local people at present. This study, employed remote sensing methods to analyze the temporal and spatial changes in land use land cover within the study area, using Landsat images from 1985 - 2021. To complement this, Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) and interviews with key informants were carried out to collect insights on the factors influencing LULC changes. Image classification was performed using the supervised classification technique, specifically employing the minimum likelihood algorithm for land use mapping. For vegetation analysis, a major category consisting of all the woody species (trees and shrubs) having ≥ 2.5 cm diameter at breast height were collected from a total of 95 plots (20 x 20 m2) laid systematically from Gerado (43 plots), Micha (28 plots) and Mekelet (24 plots) forest patches. The Shannon-Wiener diversity index was used to quantify the woody species richness and evenness of the forest patches. This study also determined plant community types and examined their correlation with environmental factors using agglomerative hierarchical cluster analysis and Redundancy Analysis (RDA) in the R software environment. The ethnobotanical data were collected using semi-structured interviews, guided field walks, focus group discussions, and market surveys. A total of 388 informants (250 males and 138 females) were selected from all 13 kebeles (subdistricts) within Habru District using systematic random sampling technique, and 42 key informants were purposively selected in each from among the randomly identified informants. Descriptive statistics, preference ranking, direct matrix ranking, informant consensus factor and fidelity level were applied for data analysis. For antimicrobial and phytochemical screening, the candidate medicinal plants were selected considering their high informant consensus and fidelity level values for their efficacy in treating infectious diseases in the area. Ethanol and aqueous extracts were prepared from the plant materials, and their antibacterial activities were evaluated against standard grampositive and gram-negative bacterial strains. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was determined using the broth dilution method. Furthermore, phytochemical screening was performed using standard qualitative tests to identify various secondary metabolites. The study results revealed that there was a substantial expansion of settlement areas in Habru District, with a notable decrease in shrubland and forestland. Conversely, cultivated land and settlement areas increased, indicating significant anthropogenic impacts on natural landscapes. This study investigated the primary drivers of LULC change in Habru District. The analysis identified cultivated land expansion, settlement area expansion, charcoal production, firewood collection, and tree cutting as the major proximate factors influencing LULC change. Additionally, the study explored underlying causes, including population growth/pressure, land tenure insecurity, economic challenges (poverty and unemployment), and climate change (precipitation variability). A total of 55 woody plant species were recorded from the three forest patches. The study also identified four distinct plant community types, influenced by factors like altitude and human activities such as tree cutting. Of these, 35 woody plant species, constituting (64%), were identified as medicinal plants used by the local people. Furthermore, a total of 134 medicinal plant species in 110 genera and 54 families used in traditional medicine against human ailments in Habru District were documented, highlighting the district’s significance in biodiversity conservation and primary healthcare delivery. High consensus factors for gastrointestinal and parasitic ailments (ICF = 0.85), febrile diseases (ICF = 0.84), and cultural conditions (ICF = 0.84), highlight the community's reliance on medicinal plants. Multipurpose plants such as Solanum somalense Franchet. (91.3% FL), Ocimum lamiifolium Hochst. ex. Benth. (88.9% FL), and Verbascum sinaiticum Benth. (85.7% FL) exhibited notable healing potentials. Of the documented medicinal plants, only 16.4% are marketable, including species like Terminalia brownii Fresen. Myrtus communis L., Ruta chalepensis L., Olea europaea L. subsp. cuspidata (Wall. & G.Don) Cif., Allium sativum L. and Capsicum annuum L., commonly found in local markets. Ethanol extracts of selected plants (Solanum somalense Franchet., Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal and Calpurnia aurea (Ait.) Benth.) showed promising antibacterial activity against specific bacterial strains. The presence of secondary metabolites like steroids, alkaloids, and flavonoids underscores the pharmacological potential of these plants. The study underscores the profound impact of anthropogenic activities on natural ecosystems and the crucial role of traditional knowledge in leveraging biodiversity for healthcare. The study emphasizes the critical need for strategies addressing LULC change drivers to protect natural resources and ensure sustainable ecosystem services to contribute to livelihoods. It highlights the inadequacy of current management in conserving forest patches and suggests tailored, community-based conservation to improve ecosystem resilience. Recognizing the deep connection between communities and medicinal plants, the study advocates for biodiversity conservation, sustainable healthcare, and the preservation of traditional knowledge, underscoring the mutual dependence of human societies and natural environments.Item Impacts of Drought Stress on Coffee (Coffea Arabica L.) Genotypes: Insights from Germination, Growth, Physiological, and Biochemical Responses(Addis Ababa University, 2024-05-20) Habtamu Chekol; Asfaw DeguDrought stress is one of the major abiotic factors affecting crop growth and limiting production worldwide. Differences in drought tolerance among Coffea arabica genotypes have been observed, particularly in Ethiopia, where the effects of drought stress on coffee growth and yield have been documented. However, a comprehensive understanding of the morphological, physiological, and molecular processes in Ethiopian Arabica coffee genotypes under drought stress during germination, seedling, and adult development remains limited. This study delves into investigating the germination, growth, physiology, and molecular performance of three distinct groups of coffee genotypes categorized as relatively tolerant (Ca74140, Ca74112, and Ca74110), moderately sensitive (Ca74158, Ca74165, and CaJ-21), and sensitive (Ca754, CaJ-19, and CaGeisha), behaving differently in their physiological response to a dry soil condition. Therefore, a poly-propagator experiment under a shade house was conducted to investigate the impact of drought stress on the germination potential of the genotypes. Greenhouse measurements were then performed to evaluate the effects of drought stress on seedling development, encompassing growth, physiology, and molecular responses across coffee genotypes. Results indicated distinctive responses among coffee genotypes during germination, with relatively tolerant genotypes exhibiting swifter and more comprehensive germination, correlated with higher moisture content (Mc), greater seed surface area to volume ratio (SA/SV), and elevated coefficients of velocity and variation of germination (CVG, CVt), and germination index (GI). Furthermore, relatively tolerant genotypes displayed enhanced seedling vigor (VI). Under drought stress conditions, leaf, stem, and root development, leaf relative water content (RWC), water potential (Ψ), stomatal conductance (Gs), net assimilation rate (Anet), and transpiration rate (E) significantly declined across all genotypes. Nevertheless, relatively tolerant genotypes demonstrated better resilience compared to other groups. Metabolite analysis unveiled distinctive accumulation patterns, notably higher levels of certain compounds like glucose, maltose, tryptophan, L-cysteine, malic acid, oxalic acid, pyruvic acid, and shikimic acids, in relatively drought-tolerant genotypes, while other metabolites showed decreased accumulation. Osmotic adjustment via compatible solutes and energy-associated metabolites emerged as a significant mechanism associated with growth and physiological responses, emphasizing the role of osmotic potential modulation in drought tolerance among coffee genotypes. This study underscores the diverse tolerance levels to drought among Ethiopian coffee genotypes. Traits such as rapid and complete germination, higher growth, relative water content, water potential, gaseous exchange, and osmotic adjustment signify heightened tolerance to drought episodes. These attributes could serve as useful markers for identifying drought-tolerant genotypes in plant biotechnology. Overall, this study highlights the pivotal role of seed traits, germination, and post-germination events, encompassing growth, physiological responses, and metabolite dynamics, in delineating drought tolerance among coffee genotypes.Item Floristic Composition of Forest Patches, Ethnobotanical and Nutraceutical Studies in Soro District, Central Ethiopia(Addis Ababa University, 2024-06) Mulatu Hankiso; Bikila Warkineh; Zemede Asfaw; Paulos Getachew; Asfaw DebellaThis PhD dissertation was conducted to document the floristic composition of the forest patches and the ethnobotany of the medicinal and wild edible plants in Soro District, central Ethiopia. The investigation targeted the vegetation of the remnant forest patches and the indigenous and local knowledge on plant use and management of the Hadiya ethnolinguistic community of Soro District. The floristic composition, the traditional medicinal plants used for the treatment of human and livestock ailments and the wild edible plants, the latter including the determination and analysis of the nutritional values of selected species constitute the main focus areas. Vegetation data were collected in different months in 2021, 2022 and 2023 from 98 systematically laid plots of 20 m x 20 m (400 m2) for trees at every 50 m altitudinal drop, 250 m far apart along transects, 5 m x 5m (25 m2) small sub-quadrats for shrubs, and 1 m x 1 m (1 m2) for herbs. Woody plant species with a diameter at breast height (DBH) > 2 cm were counted, whereas basal area (BA), important value index (IVI) and height classes were computed and used to determine the regeneration status of the dominant species and the R software was used for the analysis. Ethnobotanical data about the human and livestock traditional medicinal plants were collected by interviewing systematic randomly sampled 387 informants consisting of 255 male and 132 female research participants in addition to key informants and focus group discussions. Descriptive and quantitative approaches, and different ethnobotanical analytical tools were applied to analyze the data. The t-test statistic was used to compare indigenous knowledge based on the mean values reported in the cases of the medicinal and wild edible plants considering different parameters. A total of 280 plant species distributed in 214 genera and 88 families were documented from the four forest patches sampled and studied that yielded 34.64% trees, 27.86% shrubs, 24.64% herbs and 6.79% climbers including hemiparasites, grasses, lians, ferns, and orchids. Families with highest number of species included the Asteraceae that accounted for 11.07% and the Fabaceae constituting 8.93% of the species. The analysis produced five clusters corresponding to five plant community types. The vegetation of the forest patches of Soro District is of the Dry Afromontane type has been classified as Erica arborea-Olea europaea subsp. cuspidata-Olinia rochetiana-Spiniluma oxyacantha, Afrocarpus gracilior-Apodytes dimidiata-Olinia rochetiana, Croton macrostachyus-Ficus vasta, Combretum molle-Combretum aculeatum, and Dodonaea viscosa subsp. angustifolia-Balanites aegyptiaca community types. The total basal area of forest patches is 61.85% m2/ha. The species Olinia rochetiana, Juniperus procera, and Afrocarpus gracilior were the dominant species at the sites of mountainous forest patches, with a high density of 47%, 42%, and 38%, respectively, and the most common and frequently-recorded IVI values of the woody species were also for Afrocarpus gracilior (14%), Erica arborea (13.84%), Juniperus procera (13%), Olinia rochetiana (12.10%), and Gymnosporia arbutifolia (11.45%). Overall, the highest Shannon Wiener diversity index, Shannon Evenness, and Simpson Diversity values of Soro forest patches were 4.299, 0.91, and 0.51, respectively, and the least were 3.767, 0.86, and 0.36. The most common woody species, and unique species in each four forest sites were identified, and these are importance for conservation priory setting, sustainable management and utilization. The ethnobotanical study recorded a total of 246 human and 132 livestock traditional medicinal plants, and 64 wild edible plant species. The nutritional values of the three most-preferred wild edible (non-cultivated) nutraceutical plant species revealed food values of high potential as indicated by the bioactive compounds, antioxidant levels and vitamin C contents with some anti-nutritional factors. The family Asteraceae is represented by 24 (9.76%), Lamiaceae by 18 (7.32%), Fabaceae 16 (6.50%), and Solanaceae 13 (5.28%) species of the human medicinal plant species. In the LsMPs, Asteraceae 10 (7.58%) species, Fabaceae nine (6.82%), Lamiaceae seven (6.82%) species and Solanaceae seven (5.30%) species. In the case of wild edible plants, the highest value of 4 (6.25%) species was recorded for families Salicaceae, Solanaceae and Moraceae. In human and livestock medicinal plants, leaves and roots were the most frequently used as herbal medicine, as were concoctions and decoctions. The fruits were the most palatable contributing to 53.13% of the wild edible species, while the leaves accounted for 29.69%. Significant differences (using a t-test) in ethnobotanical knowledge (P <0.05) was shown in the mean number of medicinal and wild edible plants among differences in gender, key and general informants, and other parameters. In human and livestock medicinal plants, leaves and roots were the most frequently used as herbal medicine, as were concoctions and decoctions. While differences among different plant species nutritional values, anti-nutritional factors, bioactive compounds, antioxidants, and vitamin C were analysed using a one-way ANOVA test (p<0.05) in mean comparisons using Duncan’s multiple range test. The highest plant use citation, ICF value (0.76) was recorded for human healthcare for gastro-intestinal ailments and 0.72 for livestock dermatological ailments. The highest fidelity level values were recorded for Afrocarpus gracilior (100%) to treat rabies and diarrhoea of humans; and Datura stramonium (100%) to treat rabies and evil eye while Dodonaea viscosa subsp. angustifolia and Asparagus africanus were used for the treatment of livestock pestedes petits ruminants and evil eye respectively, at 100% of the FL value of each. There was a significant difference (P <0.05) in the mean number of medicinal plants claimed by males and key respondents in human medicinal plants, while males, illiterates, distance > 5km from modern veterinary healthcare center (s), key informants, and their experiences. In the three WEPs, the values of proximate composition were recorded in their respective ranges. The fresh leaves and shoots of Amaranthus tortuosus and fruits of Landolphia buchananii and Oncoba spinosa had moisture and pH values of (85.36%, 6.80), (81.22%, 4.59), and (61.35%, 5.74), respectively. The total soluble solids (TSS) content of the respective fruit juices of Landolphia buchananii and Oncoba spinosa was 2.4 and 8.4 ⁰Brix. The other dry basis nutrients were: total ash (3.00-20.60 g/100g), crude protein (5.51-33.77g/100g), crude fat (3.00-5.50 g/100g), crude fiber (6.05-9.60 g/100g), utilizable carbohydrate (24.07-66.09 g/100g), gross energy (283.70- 330.23 kcal/100g); the mineral contents: calcium (868.33-10595 mg/kg), iron (20.99-342.24 mg/kg), zinc (12.57-50.08 mg/kg); and vitamin C composition of (26.42-43.15 mg/100g). The highest crude protein content (38 g/100 g) was observed in Amaranthus tortuosus, and total ash (20.60 g/100g) for Landolphia buchananii; and utilizable carbohydrate (66.09 g/100g) for Oncoba spinosa. The highest total phenolic (171.39 mgGAE/100g), flavonoid (132.43 mgQE/100g), and vitamin C (44.15 mg/100g) contents were in Landolphia buchananii fruit. The Landolphia buchananii extract had comparable IC50 value (84 μg/ mL) with ascorbic acid (82 μg/ mL) in scavenging 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical. The highest percentage of DPPH inhibition was for ascorbic acid (96.42%), followed by Landolphia buchananii (94.63%) fruits at the concentration of 200 μg/ mL, and it indicated that WEPs had more antioxidant activity than popular crops, and their non-food values were within acceptable limits, suggesting that they can be incorporated to make more nutrient-dense and healthy diets. Nowadays, the forest patches and ethnomedicinal plants are being affected by anthropogenic factors. Therefore, decreasing access to vegetation in the area leads to the decline and local extinction of medicinal, wild edibles, and multipurpose native plant species from the natural habitats. Taking strong attention to the forest patches with joint management actions for in-situ and ex-situ conservation in the District with the linkage of the local people and nearby higher learning and research institutions is crucial. Such actions can increase the conservation potential of the natural vegetation with the rich floristic composition and ethnobotanical plants that would save and rehabilitate them with the associated indigenous and local knowledge and curb their rapid decline.Item Ethnobotanical Study of Medicinal and Wild Edible Plants in Dibatie District, Metekel Zone, Western Ethiopia, and Evaluation of the Antimicrobial, Nutritional, Antioxidant and Phytochemical Profiles of Selected Plants(Addis Ababa University, 2024-06) Baressa Anbessa; Ermias Lulekal; Ariaya Hymete (Professor); Paulos Getachew (Professor)Human beings rely on plant resources to meet their day-to-day lives. Ethiopia is rich in plant diversity, multilanguistic, diverse ethnic groups, and indigenous knowledge to use the plant resources for various purposes, such as herbal medicines, foods, spices, stimulants, forages, construction, home furnishings, fuel wood, ritual ceremonies, beverages, oil, gum, shade, perfumes, artifacts, fences, and other commercial values. Yet limited research was conducted on the traditional use, product development, value addition, commercialization, and conservation of the plant resources in the Dibatie district, Metekel zone, western Ethiopia, as well as the country as a whole. Thus, this study was aimed at investigating the ethnobotany of medicinal and wild edible plants in the Dibatie district of the Metekel zone, western Ethiopia, with an evaluation of the antimicrobial activity, nutritional value, antioxidant potential, and phytochemicals of selected plants. The ethnobotanical data (for Papers I and III) were collected using a semi-structured interview, field observation, focus group discussions, a market survey, and the ranking of selected plants. Voucher specimens were collected, identified, and preserved at the National Herbarium of Ethiopia. The ethnobotanical data (for Papers I and III) were analyzed through descriptive statistics (percentage and frequency), ranking, comparison, and quantitative ethnobotanical techniques such as informant consensus factor, fidelity level index, familiarity index, Jaccard’s similarity index, and use value index. The selected medicinal plants (in Paper II) were collected, shade dried, pulverized, extracted with 80% ethanol, and subjected to antibacterial, antioxidant, and phytochemical tests. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was determined using 96-well microplates and nutrient broth microdilution. Antioxidant activity was evaluated using the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging assay. Phytochemical screening was conducted using standard test methods. The juices of selected wild edible plants (in Paper IV) were used to determine the pH, acidity, and total soluble solids (TSS). Their lyophilized powders were analyzed to determine vitamin C, proximate composition, minerals, functional properties, anti-nutritional factors, antioxidant activity (DPPH assay and ferric reducing power), and quantitative phytoconstituents. In Paper I, a total of 170 medicinal plants were recorded to treat about 79 human and 29 livestock ailments. A large percentage (35.88%) of the medicinal plants were herbs, and the majority (79.41%) of them were from wild sources. Many (41.17%) medicinal plants had multiple remedy parts and were often prescribed freshly. The remedies were mostly applied orally (52.20%), followed by dermal (17.62%) routes. Out of the examined medicinal plants in Paper II, the extract of Polystachya steudneri Rchb.f. pseudobulb was the most active against gram-negative and gram-positive bacterial strains. The extracts of Gnidia involucrata Steud. ex A.Rich. stems and roots were effective antioxidants, with respective IC50 values of 168.68 and 181.79 μg/mL compared to ascorbic acid (IC50 = 53.76 μg/mL). The studied plants (in Paper II) contained alkaloids, anthocyanins, anthraquinones, cardiac glycosides, coumarins, flavonoids, phenols, saponins, steroids, tannins, and terpenoids. Ethnobotanically, 54 wild edible plants (in Paper III) were identified, of which 38.90% were trees and mainly contained edible fruits (72.20%). They were usually consumed raw as complementary foods frequently in the months December to May. About 98% of the recorded plants had additional uses beyond their nutritional values. Out of the analyzed wild edible plants in Paper IV, Saba comorensis (Bojer ex A.DC.) Pichon fruit had the highest (p < 0.05) acidity, vitamin C, TSS, water solubility, oxalates, and tannins. The evaluated plants were rich in carbohydrates (59.63–68.83%), energy (267.75–324.08 kcal/100g), and minerals like calcium (522.27–995.04 mg/100g), iron (19.80–111.94 mg/100g), magnesium (923.25–1592.18 mg/100g), and potassium (591.69–1357.71 mg/100g). Dioscorea praehensilis Benth. tuber had the highest bulk density, water absorption, water holding, foaming, and foam stability, and Syzygium guineense (Wild.) DC. subsp. macrocarpum (Engl.) F.White fruit was significant in oil absorption. Saba comorensis fruit contained the highest (p < 0.05) total phenolics, flavonoids, and alkaloids and was found to be a substantial source of antioxidant, followed by S. guineense subsp. macrocarpum fruit. The study area was rich in a diversity of potential medicinal and wild edible plants, along with the associated indigenous knowledge. The plants support the native people in food security, agriculture, medicine, energy sources, construction, ecological services, aesthetics, income generation, and household utensils. However, medicinal and wild edible plants are recently threatened owing to the appearance of various anthropogenic factors in the study area. Thus, appropriate conservation actions and careful utilization are crucial to counteract the increasing effect of anthropogenic factors and ensure the sustainability of important plants with the related indigenous knowledge. In addition, experimental validation should be employed to evaluate the pharmaceutical and nutritional benefits of the identified medicinal and wild edible plants in the study area. The investigated medicinal plants (in Paper II) were confirmed as vital sources of antibiotics, antioxidants, and bioactive phytochemicals. Hence, further investigations were suggested to obtain bioactive lead compounds for the development of novel drugs. The examined wild edible plants (in Paper IV) were verified as good sources of valuable nutrients and phytochemicals with substantial functional, anti-nutritional, and antioxidant properties. As a result, they need to be conserved and wisely used in the form of various food products in the future.Item Interplay Among African Bush Elephant (Loxodonta Africana L.), Vegetations, and Humans in Kafta Sheraro National Park, Western Tigray: Implications for the Park Sustainability(Addis Ababa University, 2024-07) Fitsum Temesgen; Bikila WarkinehThe study took place in Kafta Sheraro National Park (KSNP), a dry woodland and riparian forest habitat for elephants. Changes in the cover of this vegetation within and around the park are the basic driving forces of habitat change and human-elephant conflict (HEC). In the past ten years, HEC has been increasing due to the widespread conversion of woodland and riparian forests into cropland. The communities adjacent to the KSNP are profoundly dependent on natural resources, which affect the wildlife habitat; consequently, park management intervention is challenging. This study aims to investigate the interaction among elephants, vegetation, and humans, which in turn helps to determine the implications for park sustainability. Landsat sensors of the TM, ETM+, and OLI images (1988 to 2018) and ground truth points were applied to assess the land use/land cover (LULC) change and normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) features. The vegetation data were collected from 161 plots, each with a size of 400 m2 for trees and shrubs, while subplot sizes of 100 m2 for saplings and 25 m2 for seedlings were established in the main plot. A diameter ≥2.5 cm and height ≥2 m were measured for trees and shrubs. The elephant food choice and its utilization effects on plant species were identified via direct field walk records on 112 plots. The drivers of LULC change, HEC, and the community‟s attitude of conservation were surveyed using randomly selected 395 households with questionnaire interviews focused on five basic questions/areas of interest, seven focus group discussions each averaging 12 to 38 respondents, and 32 key informant interviews. The LULC change results (1988 to 2018) showed that woodland and riparian vegetation decreased by 29.38% (367.85 km2) and 47.11% (39.46 km2), respectively, whereas shrub-bushland, grassland, bare land, and cultivated land increased by 35.28% (132.27 km2), 43.47% (161.31 km2), 27.52% (8.02 km2), and 118.36 km2, respectively. According to the results of the NDVI, high to moderate vegetation decreased by 21.47% (464.6 km2), while sparse and nonvegetation expanded by 19.8% (428.1 km2) and 1.7% (36.5 km2), respectively. However, there was a continuous decline in woodland cover. The park harbors 70 woody plant species, with 65.7% trees, 25.7% shrubs, and 8.6% trees shrubs. The total basal area and density were 79.3 ± 4.6 m2 ha-1 and 466 ±12.8 stems ha-1. The dominant families were Fabaceae (16 species: 22.9%) and Combretaceae (8 species: 11.4%). Acacia mellifera, Combretum hartmannianum, Terminalia brownii, Balanites aegyptiaca, Dicrostachy scinerea, Acacia senegal, Acacia oerfota, Boswellia papyrifera, Ziziphus spina-christi, and Anogeissus leiocarpus were the most dominant and frequent species. The regeneration status of woody plant species in the park was categorized as “none” (73.45%), “poorly” (7.81%), and “fairly” (18.75%) regenerated”. Expansion of settlement and cropland, human-induced fires, fuelwood collection, and gold mining were the major proximate drivers that significantly Page iii of 198 affected park resources. Forty-seven wild plant species and 12 cultivated crop species were utilized by elephants; among the wild plant species, 2.7% of seedlings and saplings and 97.3% of the mature stem plants were used. Acacia mellifera (23.9%), Balanites aegyptiaca (10.3%), Acacia oerfota (7.7%), Dicrostachys scinerea (7.2%), Acacia senegal (7.2%), and Hyphaene thebaica (5.7%) contributed the most to the elephant feed. The elephants selected strongly more than 41% of common wild woody species, while Combretum hartmannianum and Boswellia papyrifera, which are the most frequent in the park, were not utilized. Leaves/branches accounted for 85% of elephant consumption during the wet season, while 57.4% of the bark contributed to the diet in the late dry season. During the rainy season, the coverage of seasonal crops increased, leading to higher consumption in the period when Human-Elephant Conflict (HEC) reached its peak. Due to the expansion of cultivation by 118.36 km2, elephant crop damage has continued to become a serious problem, and 72.2% of respondents confirmed that elephant damage to crops has increased in recent years. Crop damage was significantly (p< 0.001) affected by the distance between the settlement and the park and was relatively high as cropland was found inside and at the border of the park. The respondents, 81.99% and 44.95%, used gun sounds/banging noise materials and lighting fires/flashlights as the most common protection methods for elephant crop damage. The communities had both positive and negative attitudes toward the conservation of KSNP and elephants. The negative attitude was related to competition for park resources, conflicts between residents and park managers, and elephant crop damage. The awareness and attitude of the communities toward KSNP and elephant conservation significantly varied with age, education level, distance between settlement and park border, and crop damage trends (p<0.001). However, there is a good initiation for the conservation of the KSNP; the woodland habitat was affected by human-induced LULC change because the livelihood of local communities depends on crop and livestock production. The expansion of farming reduced the wildlife habitat, and crop fields were the key areas where HEC occurred, which is a challenge for the survival of elephants. Elephant crop damage negatively impacted community attitudes toward elephant conservation. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop strategies for sustainable land resource management and wildlife conservation by encouraging community participation to protect the KSNP woodland habitat and adjacent natural resources. This approach will help to restore woodland habitat at the same time to minimize human-elephant conflict (HEC).Item Morphological Characterization, Seed Physiology, Antimicrobial Properties, and Habitat Suitability of Two Plant Genera (Ziziphus Mill. and Balanites Del.) Co-Occurring in Semi-Arid Ecosystems of Ethiopia(Addis Ababa University, 2024-07) Mohammed Adefa; Tigist WondimuDespite their multipurpose nature and wide distribution, there is a lack of understanding regarding the morphological variability, seed physiology, antimicrobial properties, and habitat suitability of Ziziphus Mill. and Balanites Del. in Ethiopia. This study aimed to investigate the inter- and intra-specific morphological variability, seed viability and germination behavior, antibacterial properties, and habitat suitability of Ziziphus and Balanites in Ethiopia. To analyze the inter- and intra-specific morphological variability, the bark color, leaf shape, fruit shape, and spine condition were examined for specimens of Balanites (n = 123) and Ziziphus (n = 130). The data was analyzed using hierarchical clustering (HC) and redundancy analysis (RDA) ordination. To evaluate the effects of pre-sowing treatments on the seed germination of Ziziphus (i.e., Z. spina-christi and Z. mucronata) and Balanites (B. aegyptiaca and B. rotundifolia), seeds were collected from many parts of Ethiopia, subjected to eight pre-sowing treatments, and planted in pots arranged in a CRD. The data was analyzed using germination percentage (GP), daily germination percentage (GD), germination time (GT), germination index (GI), and ANOVA at p≤0.05. To examine the antibacterial properties of Ziziphus and Balanites, ethanol and methanol extracts of leaves of Z. spina-christi, Z. mucronata, B. aegyptiaca, and B. rotundifolia were tested against selected pathogenic bacteria using agar-well and broth serial macro-dilution. To predict the habitat suitability of Ziziphus and Balanites current and future (i.e., SSP2-45 and SSP5-85 of HadGEM3-GC31-LL) climates, ensemble SDMs were computed in R 4.1.3 using occurrence points of Z. spina-christi (n = 159), Z. mucronata (n = 101), B. aegyptiaca (n = 224), and B. rotundifolia (n = 80), and bioclimatic, soil, and landscape variables. HC indicated five and eight population clusters (morphotypes) of Balanites and Ziziphus, respectively. RDA indicated that the effects of Annual Mean Temperature (Bio01), Isothermality (Bio03), and Precipitation of Wettest Quarter (Bio16) on morphological variability s of Balanites are highly significant (p≤0.001). Similarly, the effects of Bio03, Temperature Seasonality (Bio04), Min Temperature of Coldest Month (Bio06), Mean Temperature of Warmest Quarter (Bio10), Precipitation of Driest Month (Bio14), and Precipitation of Driest Quarter (Bio17) are highly significant (p≤0.001) on the morphological variability of Ziziphus. One-way ANOVA for Balanites (i.e., B. aegyptiaca and B. rotundifolia) and two-way ANOVA for Ziziphus (i.e., Z. spina-christi and Z. mucronata) showed the presence of significant differences in GP, GD, GT, and GI among treatment groups at p<0.05. The methanol extract of Z. spina-christi showed potency against E. faecalis, P. aeruginosa, S. aureus, E. coli, S. typhimurium, and K. pneumoniae. The ethanol and methanol extracts of B. aegyptiaca showed inhibitory activities against K. pneumoniae and S. typhimurium. The ensemble SDM under the current climate predicted that about 8.6% of the areas of Ethiopia are suitable for Z. spina-christi, while 8.2% and 9.4% will be suitable under SSP2-45 and SSP5-85, respectively, in the years 2061–2080. Similarly, the ensemble SDM under the current climate predicts that about 6.4% of the areas of Ethiopia are suitable for Z. mucronata, while 5.5% and 5.7% will be suitable under SSP2-45 and SSP5-85, respectively. The ensemble SDM under the current climate predicted that about 8.6% of the areas of Ethiopia are suitable for B. aegyptiaca, while 8.8% and 9.5% will be suitable under SSP2-45 and SSP5-85, respectively. The ensemble SDM under the current climate predicted that about 3.1% of the areas of Ethiopia are suitable for B. rotundifolia, while 2.2% and 3.8% will be suitable under SSP2-45 and SSP5-85. The findings of this study would contribute to the selection and breeding, propagation, conservation, and sustainable use of Ziziphus and Balanites in Ethiopia.Item Vegetation Ecology and Land Use Land Cover Change in Wombera District, Benshangul Gumuz Regional State, Ethiopia(Addis Ababa University, 2024-12) Girma Gudesho; Zerihun WolduThe objectives of the study was to assess vegetation diversity, structure, composition, community type, and regeneration status in relation to land use and land cover changes in the Wombera district. The district has three agroecologies: higher, middle, and lower. For the whole study, six forest patches were selected. At higher altitudes, three forest parts were classified according to their succession stage: climax, intermediate, and pioneer. Depending on the intensity, frequency, and severity of disturbances, each succession class was divided into intact, disturbed, and highly disturbed forest patch parts. Data was collected using stratified systematic sampling procedures. Along altitudinal gradients, transect lines were laid every 300 m, and plots were laid every 150 m along transect lines. One hundred forty-two nested sampling plots (20 × 20 meters each) in six forest areas were used to collect vegetation and environmental data. In the main quadrates (20×20), trees with stem diameter at breast height (DBH) >2.5 cm and shrubs at diameter stump height (DSH) were collected. Landscape variables and disturbance factors were also ranked and recorded. In five (5 m × 5 m) quadrants nested in the larger quadrats, seedlings and saplings were recorded. In 5 (1 × 1 m) quadrates nested in the 5 × 5 m quadrates, herbs and grass species were recorded. For LULCC analysis, satellite images from EGII and USAG were obtained, including Landsat Mss 1973, Landsat TM 1985, Landsat ETM+2000, and Landsat OLI/TIRS 2016.In six forest patches interview were held with FGD confirmed by KII, five direct and six indirect driving forces were identified, and their impacts were evaluated. The regeneration potential and use values of woody plants were assessed and ranked. The species frequency, density, and structure of the forest patches were analyzed using descriptive statistical tools. Floristic diversity and evenness were computed using Shannon diversity and evenness indices, respectively. The similarities between forest patches and plant communities were computed using Sorenson‘s similarity index. A nested ANOVA and regression model in R were used to compute the diversity and abundance of plants along succession and disturbance gradients. The R package (version 3.4.3) was used for the classification of the plant community types (clusters) and vegetation-environment relationships (ordinations). ERDAS version 15 and ArcGIS 10.3.1 were used for satellite image calibration and analysis. A total of 375 species, representing 90 families and 70 genera, were recorded from 142 plots and outside nearby plots in six forest patches. 314 species were recorded in plots, and 61 species were recorded outside the plots. Plant species diversity and richness significantly varied along the succession gradient (pioneer, intermediate, and climax) and disturbance gradients (intact, moderately disturbed, and highly disturbed).In Lower and middle-layer canopy tree abundances decline along the succession gradient. Upper canopy tree abundance increases along successional gradients. The highest IVI was found in the upper canopy trees of climax forests, followed by intermediate and pioneer forests, respectively. Seven major LULCC types were identified: forest, woodland (highest), scrub/bushland, grassland/rangeland, farmland, water bodies, and settlements. Six community types: Community I, Community II, Community II Community VI, community V, and Community VI were identified. The vegetation structure is determined by fire and altitudinal gradients. The result of LULCCS revealed an expansion of agriculture/settlement and a reduction of woodland and forest over the last 40 years, from 1973 to 2016. In the early 1970s, indirect driving forces: sociocultural practices and population growth contributed the most and had the highest impact. Among the direct or proximate causes, farming activity and fire had the highest impact in 1970 in the lower and middle altitudes. Thus, further studies should conducted that include soil nutrient analysis and vegetation modeling along successiona and disturbance gradients.LULCC should be done by using the latest satellite image version.Item Enset (Ensete Ventricosum (Welw.) Cheesman, Musaceae): Ethnomedicinal Applications, Nutritional Quality and Reproductive Biology in Selected Districts of South and South Western Ethioia(Addis Ababa University, 2024-06) Solomon Tamrat; Sebsebe Demissew; Dawd Gashu; Tigist WondimuEnset is a valuable food security crop consumed by over 20 million peoples among diverse cultures in Southern Ethiopia. Limited information exists on morphological characterization of landaraces used in traditional medicine and the associated knowledge, nutritional contents, seed germination responses to various temperature regimes and floral biology of wild and domesticated populations. Morphological characterization of medicinally valued enset and documentation of Indigenous Local Knowledge (ILK) of their utilization was conducted using 100 informants and home gardens from nine study kebeles in the three selected districts of Sidama, Wolaita and Gurage (SWG) zones of the former SNNPRS. Nutritional analyses targeted on mineral and amino acid profiles was undertaken for various types of enset parts (corm, pseudostem, leaf petiole, leaf blade, fruit parts of exocarp, mesocarp and whole seed) and fermented products (Kocho, Bulla and whole Koho) (n=10) of 26 medicinally valued enset landraces. Fermentation was initiated using pre fermented enset tissue used as starter culture, and both external and pit fermentation were applied based on local recommendations. Germination responses of 20 accessions (seven wild and 13 domestic enset) originated from localities in the south and south western Ethiopia were tested against varied temperature regimes (10-°C, 15-°C, 20-°C, 25-°C, 30-°C, 40-°C, 20¬°C/10¬°C, 25-°C/10-°C, 25- °C/15-°C, 30-°C/-10°C, 30-°C/15-°C, 30-°C/20-°C, 35-°C/20-°C, 40-°C/20-°C & 40-°C/25-°C). The two enset populations were also evaluated for variations in traits of external and internal seed morphology (n=10 to 50) and seed viability (n=7 to 60 per accession). Diversity in floral morphology of individuals from the two populations, was additionally, assessed using dimensions of 375 flowers, (i.e. 25 from each accession), sourced from 15 matured (nine domesticated and six wild) individuals. Medicinally valed enset landraces were clustered based on morphological similarities irrespective of sampling localities. Out of 184 farmers’ landraces documented, 68 (37%) were used in traditional medicine. Boiled corms from ‘Askala’ (Sidama), ‘Argama’ (Wolaita), ‘Astara’ (Gurage), ‘Kibnar' (Gurage), and ‘Gowariye' (Gurage) are most frequently used as medicinal items in the treatment of human and livestock ailmnts. Delays in labor and/or placental discharge, bone fractures and wounds were the commonly treated disorders using enset medicine. Prenatal, natal and postnatal complications received the highest Informant Consensus Factor (ICF=0.86). Enset contains considerable calcium, iron, potassium and, zinc in comparison to commonly used tuber crops. Twenty of standard plant amino acids were detected with predominant arginine. Fermentation enhanced essential amino acids, though net loss overall were observed after the process. Enset showed significant varitions in mineral concentrarions across sampling sites and plant parts. Samples sourced from Gurage area and corms, hence, showed significantly higher amino acid. Alternating temperature, absolute changes from constant to alternating (p=0.0159), and prior cold stratification (p ≤ 0.001) significantly improved germination. Wild and domesticated enset showed similarities in embryo viability, mean days to onset of germination, and morphological traits of seeds and flowers. Eventhough, different names are given in various cultures, medicinally valuable enset were morphologicaly similar across cultural variations in landrace naming and farm management, observed less frequent or rare; and used to treat diverse types of human and livestock ailments. Observations from ethnobotanical investigations imply the potential of enset for treatement of human and livestock ailments in the context of complimentary medicine to target the limitations of health care services through modern medicine. With the observed higher nutritional contents, enset products could be used to make up for deficiencies in essential minerals and functional amino acids. Conservation of sexual reproductive potential in enset was evidenced from silimlarities in germination and morphologies of reproductive organs of wild and domestic plants, with implications for future seed banking and varital development through conventional breeding.Item Ecological Effects of Plantations of Exotic tree Species on the Understory of Native Vegetation in Yerer Forest Oromia Regional State Central Ethiopia(Addis Ababa University, 2021-06-28) Beto, Yadesa; Bekele, Tamrat (PhD); Demissew, Sebsebe (Professor)A study on the effects of plantations of exotic tree species (Eucalyptus globulus, Cupressus lusitanica, Grevillea robusta, and Pinus patula) on native species both in the above and below ground with compared adjacent natural forest was conducted in the central high land of Ethiopia, in Yerer forest. The aim of the study was to investigate and document the effects of plantations of exotic tree species on the above and belowground native vegetation composition, diversity and density, and soil properties in Yerer forest of central Ethiopia. A systematic sampling design was employed to collect vegetation and soil data in all land-use systems. The vegetation and soil data were collected from a total of 20 transect lines and 60 quadrats, each with a 20 m x 20 m (400m2) area established, that distributed equal 12 quadrats for each five forest land-use systems. Within each quadrat, five sub-quadrats with 2m x 2m (for seedling and sapling), and 1m x 1m (for herbaceous, and soil samples) were used for data collection. In the study, there are three parts, the first part focussing on one of the land uses, the natural forest. In which, a total of 93 woody species in 46 families were identified from 122 quadrats along 22 transect lines in the natural forest only. In the natural forest, the distribution of the density of seedlings > saplings > mature trees, which indicates woody species had s healthy regeneration profiles. In the natural forest, five plant community types were identified with varying degrees of species diversity, richness, and evenness. The species composition similarity coefficients among five plant communities ranged from 36-78%. In the second part, the five forest land-use systems with four plantations of exotic tree species (Eucalyptus globulus, Cuppressus lustanica, Grevillea robusta, and Pinus patula) and adjacent natural forest. From 60 quadrats, a total of 211 native species in 59 families, represented by 134 herbs and 77 woody species were recorded. Among the 211 identified native species, 32 species (15.17%) were commonly observed in all five forest land-use systems (LUS) 66 species (36.49%) only in a single forest (36 species only in a natural forest, and 30 species only in exotic tree plantations), while the rest species were recorded in between two to four forest LUS. The overall native vegetation composition in different forest land-use systems (LUS) ranged from 71 to 181 species. The overall aboveground vegetation species composition in similarity indices among five forest land-use systems (LUSs) ranged from 0.26 – 0.49. The third part focusing on eight land-use systems (natural forest, Eucalyptus globulus, Cuppressus lustanica, Grevillea robusta, Pinus patula, grassland, grazing land, and cropland) to study the soil seed bank composition and density, and soil properties. From a total of 96 quadrats, along 32 transect lines, the soil seed bank results showed, a total of 98 plant species belonging to 42 families and 84 genera were identified. In all the different land-use systems a total seed bank composition, and seed density /m2 ranging between 29 to 57, and 1625 to 3250, respectively. General, The seed bank species composition, and density revealed a significant variation as a function of land-use systems. The analysis of variance (ANOVA) for the majority of soil physical and chemical properties variables of sand particle size, MC, BD, PD, SP, OC, TN, Avial. P, soil pH, EC, CEC, and exchangeable bases (Ca, Mg, K, Na) were showed that a significant variation among land-use systems at (P<0.0001). The study results confirmed that plantations with different exotic tree species showed variability in their effect on the understory native species composition, diversity, density, and natural regeneration status. The changes in land use systems under similar climatic conditions significantly influenced the belowground native species composition and density, and soil property.Item Diversity of Medicinal Plants and Uses in Sayint District South Wollo Amhara Region Ethiopia(Addis Ababa University, 2021-10-20) Shiferie, Sintayehu; Warkineh, Bikila (PhD)Study of diversity of medicinal plants and uses were conducted in Sayint district, South Wollo, Amhara region, Ethiopia. Data on medicinal plants were collected from 92 informants (53 male and 39 female). Data were collected through questionnaire, interview, market survey, field observation and group discussion. Data were analyzed quantitatively and qualitatively. A total of 75 medicinal plant species were identified and from natural vegetation 61 (81%) and home garden 14 (19 %) distributed in 68 genera and 42families. The abundance of medicinal plants was categorized as presently safe (40%), threatened (28%), sporadic (20%), endangered (6.7%) and vulnerable (5.3 %). A total of 53 ailments (35human, 11 livestock and 7 both) were identified to be treated by medicinal plants. From the total identified medicinal plants, 54 of them were reported for the treatment of human ailments and the remaining others were for livestock and both. The dominant life forms of medicinal plants were shrubs 37(50%), followed by herbs 21(28%), trees 10(13%) and climbers7 (9%).The most preferably used medicinal plant parts were leaves 41 (55%) followed by roots16 (21 %). The dominant method of medicinal plant part remedy preparation was pounding and squeezing 26 (35 %) followed by pounding 15(20 %). The most common preferable route of administration of medicinal plant remedy was reported to be oral 39 (52%) followed by dermal 24 (32 %). Drinking was the most frequently used method of application26 (35%) followed by painting or creaming 21(28%). The main sources of knowledge on medicinal plants reported to be elder people and used oral based transfer of knowledge. Anthropogenic factors such as farm land expansion, charcoal production, fire wood, construction, animal grazing and medicine and natural factors were found to be the threats for medicinal plants. Promoting tree growing project and the sustainable utilization and management of medicinal plants were recommended. Further studies towards cultivation of medicinal plants of the area were needed.Item Biodiversity Management in Oaaddegoyo (Traditional Home Gardens) by Kaficho People of Bongaarea (Southwestern Ethiopia) : An Ethnobotanic Approach(Addis Ababa University, 2000-06) Woldeyes, Feleke; Demissew, Prof. SebsebeThe study was conducted in three villages around 80nga (Southwest Ethiopia) to investigate the role of the local people in managing biological diversity through agricultural activities. The Kafichos, the indigenous people of the study area, are settled farmers who practice traditional home gardening. Their enset based home garden, which consists of a complex mixture of annual and perennial plants, is locally called Oaaddegoyo; and provides them with almost every thing required for subsistence. Data on vegetation (species record, cover-abundance, number of individuals, and plant specimens), and soil samples were collected from sample plots. Ethnobatanic information was gathered by conducting open ended discussions with key informants, owners of home gardens and other family members. The collected plant specimens were identified in the Niational Herbaruim (ETH). The vegetation data was analysed using the computer program SYNTAX and five clusters were recognixed: Ensete·Xanthosoma community, Ensete·Coffea community, Ensete·Brassica community. Ensete·Xanthosoma·Saccharum community and Ensete·Xanthosoma·Nicotiana community. The clusters were compared for the mean values of the soil chemical factors using the ANOVA test. A total of 170 plant species were recorded from the 21 Oaaddegoyo (home gardens) of which 47% were found to be protected or tolerated. Although a decrease in total number of plant species per village with an increase in altitude was observed, the ANOVA (Analysis of Variance) test result indicated no sighificance difference among the three villages in the number of species per garden. The Daaddegoyo whose framework is made by Ensete ventricosum is strongly linked to the other two land·use systems: Kubbo ('managed forest") and Guudo (Inlact forest). It is a stable agroecosystem that harbours a Significant biodiversity. and this has resulted from innovative processes by local farmers over generations. Therefore, the Oaaddegoyo is an in·situ repository of crop germplasm and deserves protection.Item Diversity and Ecological Analysis of Vascular Epiphytes in Gera Wild Coffee Forest, Jimma Zone of Oromia Regional State, Ethiopia(Addis Ababa,University, 2013-07) Tafesse, Bedilu; Kelbessa, Ensermu (Professor)The diver,sifY (llId ecological allaly:,'i:,' of 1'(M'Clilar epiphyte:,' was s flldied ill Cera Foresl in southwesfem Erhiopia af a/fillides befweell 1600 alld 2400 III a .. d . A loral area of 4.5 ha was surveyed ill coffee alld 1101I-coffee forest vegetafion. Fifty salllplillg plofs, each 30 III X 30 III (900 11/ 1), were used for the purpose of daw col/eeliOIl. A lotal of 59 species of vascular epiphyte:,' were recorded alld of which 34(59%) were holo ep'j)hyte:", 111'0 (4%) were hemi epiphyles alld 22 (37%) :,pecies were accidenwl vascular epiphytes. To :,·tudy Ille allitlldinal dislribulioll of vascular epiphYles. altitudes were classified into higher >2000, //Iiddle 1800- 2000 and Jower 1600- 1800//1 a.s.1. accordillg to Shanl/otl- Wiener Index (HI = 3.411) of tJ. alpha dil'ersily file epiphyte COllll111111ily ill the sllldy area is medium. There was a stjlistically sigmjicalll dljerence belween host bark Iype and epiphyte richlless as determined by Olle~way ANOVA (F(3, 91) "'" 21 .833, p = 0.001). The p(w- hoc fesl shows Ihal there is sigllificallf difference of vascular epiphyles riclme.\'S be/lt"eell Slllooll1 bark willi rough jlack and corky bark (P =0,00 I < 0.05), as we/J as rough alld cork bark (p =0.43 <0.05). Howevefjbelll'eetl rough alld j lack bark (p = 0,753 > 0.05) tmd belll'eenjlack alld corky bark (p = 0.854 > 0.05) 110 SigllijiC(lIIt differellce of epipllyte abwu/allce was observed. ROllgh bark had 38%, corky, 26%. jlack, 25%, alld ollly 11% ~'ascular epiphyles abundance occurred oll :"l1/ooth bark. 71te regressioll correlation test, (lr :: 0,773. p "" 0.0001 < 0.05), showed Ihal the /llIll/ ber of species of vascular epiphytes and hosl DBH size are positively correlaled. The regression correlalioll tel'l (If = 0.28, p == 0.0001 < 0.05), showed Illat tlte /lllIlIber of specie:,' ami hosllree height positively correlated. The host Iree preference of vascular epiphyles was recorded for ollly Villaria volkensii species hosted 0 11 Sy=ygiulII guilleellse Irees. The result of similarily mwlysis indicated Ihal Cera Forest showed Ihe higllesl I'ascular epiphytic simi/aril)' (0.35) lI'illl Yayu Fore:,'t alld shared Ihe least l-'CIscular epiphYlic similarity (0.295) lI'ith Haremw Foresl. It was concluded thai horizOlltal siems and branches, large and rough. jlack alld corky bark type Irees are more s uitable for vaSCII/ar epiphytes seedling allachmelllS alld growth. COllsen'atiol1 and prolectioll of Ihese phorophytes are importalll for the surivivlli of vascular epiphytes ami increase Ilteir ecological importtlllce.Item Bryophytes in a Changing Landscape: Diversity, Use and Response to Different Land Management Systems in Tulu Korma, in Central-West Ethiopia(Addis Ababa University, 2013) H/Giorgis, Tsige; Nemomissa, Prof. Sileshi771t! sludy lI'al' cOl/ducled 01 lalldholdings of Ihe Cellier for Indigenous Trees Propagalion and Biodiversity Developmelll of Elhiopia (Restoring) and ils sIIrrollnding area af TIIIII· Korma, in cemral·lI'eJI Elhiopia. In all Ethiopian contexl, there are largely limited slue/ieJ 011 the !nyophyte,\' 0,\' all inlegra/ part of the lIalllrnl vegewtioll lind key componem of ecosyslem function Allhough the jlorislic sllldieJ of Tlilu Korma were carried OUi previollsly. blyophyres and their ecolyslem .~e rllices were 1101 ineluded The currenl sludy lI'aJ focllj' 011 the waler imerception capacity of Jelected lata of lhis group, To measure species riclllleJ,\' and dominallce in b,yophyle COllllllllllilies, we haw: IIsed 24 qlladrall', each having a size of 10,,/ To illveJ/jgare water interceplioll capacily. we selecledfollr ULta. All statistical allalyses lI'ere carried 0111 by R·2.15 lVindoll' and il/bllill Ms Excel. A 10lal of 56 taxa of bryophyles were recordedfrom the stlldy area, IVhile Ihe proportioll of mOl'ses is 44. 111(1{ of livenl'ort is II and hornworl I, Epiphylic bryophytes are Ihe 1II0st microhabital of bryophyles in Ihe study area. The bryophy/e COIIIIllI",ity of the study area is grouped il/lo fi t'(! typeJ. From Jelected fO llr mOJJ specieJ, Leptodontill'" lati/alill'" showed Ihe higheJt waler holding capacity over a period of 4 weeks, To have a high nllmber of bryophyte l'jJecieJ. reJlOrillg areal' need to halle key phYJical featllreJ such as 1II0ist ground. refugia wilh distinct microclilllale, different Jllbslrata. It is ollly a slllall part of Ihe Tlliu Korma shrubland which is resloring leavillg Ihe larger area to disturballces l'lICh as cut/jng Ireel'. ellcroachmelll of agricultural fields alld heavy grazing by livestock. If the currelll Irend continues, Ihe micro·refugia of bryophYles imide Ihe Caril'.m spinanl alld Maylenlls arblllijolia thickets will be lost with Iheir associated b,yophyte l'jJecies (lnd Iheir ecological functions. Therefore, Ihe Restoring area should also inelude the remaining area alld restoralion efforl should also expand to Ihis IlnreslOred portion ofthil' shrub/olld.Item An Ethnobotanical Study of Medicinal Plants used by Local Pcople in Menz Gera Midir District, North Shcwa Zone of Amhara Regional State, Ethiopia(Addis Ababa University, 2013-07) WoldYohannis, Seble; Asfaw, Dr. ZemedeAll ellll/obolal/ieal sludy was conducted 10 docl/menl medicinal plwlI.\· lH'ed by the local people and their indigenous knowledge ill Menz Gera Midir Districl, North Shewa Zone of the Amhara Regional State. Ethiopia. Data were collected from 72 (12 of Ihem key informams) informa",s using semi-structured interviews, group discus!:.-ions and guided field walk. Priority ranking, paired comparil·oll. (IireCI matrix ral/king and by calclilalion of the informam consensus faclOr (ICF) were IIsed ill dow analysis. Ol/e hUlldred fifty five medicinal plant '!'pecies from the natural vegetation (67. J%) and homegardells (32.9%) claimed to be used by the local people for the treatment of human and livestock ailments. A total of I J j species are ",elltiolled for the treatment of only hllman heallh problems, 10 species for Irealllleni of /ivesrock ailmellls only and 30 for both human and livestock diseases. Asleraceae, which cOlllributed 16 species. s/Ood first followed by Lamiaceae with 12 species. The medicinal flora of the study area is composed of 68 (43. 9%) herb. 47 shrub, 29 tree and I I climber species. The IIIOSt frequently used p{alll parll' are leaws (43.9%) followed by roots (31%). The most frequent mode of preparalion of plmll medicine was pounding (27. 9O.Ai) followed by powdering (I6%). The most COIIIIIIon route of administration of tradilional medicine was oral (48%) followed by dermal (28.6%). The highesl ICF values were linked ro problems associated wilh abdominal and gastrointestinal diseases (0.86) followed by dermatological problelll (0.83). Priority ranking showed that people of the area preferred Lupilllls albus, which was the rarest medicinal plant in the study area. Paired comparison offive species ofp/(lIIb showed thm Cucllfbira pepo is the most preferred species by Iradi/ional healers for the trealment of headache. Olea eurOlxlea subsp. cllspidara was shaWl/to be the IIIO!>'t IIIl1ltipllrpo'!"e species. The medicillal planl remurce of the area is I"reatened by agriclllwral expansion to grazing lal/ds andforests, charcoal making, firewood collection and O\·ergra:illg. I"-situ cOllsen'ation and cultivatioll of medicinal plallis in homegardens are recommended as remedial actions.Item Effects of Eucalyptus Globulus on soil Physiochemical property and Erodibility ; Comparative case study in Wolmera Distric.Oromia Regin(Addis Ababa University, 2013-07) Tamire, Samuel; Itanna, Prof.FissehaHuman alterations of land use and cover are responsible for different forms of soil degradationItem Comparing the Nutrient Uptake of Arnaranthus hybridus L. subsp. cruentus (L.) TheIl. and Hordeum vulgare L. on Different Soil Types(Addis Ababa University, 2013-06) Asefa, Meklit; Itanna, Prof FissehaThe purpose of this study was to compare the Nutrient uptake of Amaranthus cmentlles and Hordeum vulgare all different soil types at Ziway.Item An Ethnobotanical Study of Medicinal Plants Used by Indigenous Local Communities in Menz Mama Midir Dist rict, North Shewa Zone of Amhara Region, Ethiopia(Addis Ababa University, 2013-07) Woldedawit, Hintsete; Demissew, Prof SebsebeAll ethnobotanical study was conducted in Menz Mama Midir Disirici of North Shewa Zone, Amhara Regional Sfa fe, EfhiopiaItem Measuring the Extent of Restoration using Coffea Arabica L. as a Bioassay Plant(Addis Ababa University, 2013-07) Chekol, Habtamu; Prof. Legesse NegashThis study was undertaken as part of the ongo ing biological restoration efforts at the "Center for Indigenous Trees Propagation and Biodi versity Development in Ethiopia" (50·55 Km west of Addis Ababa, 09°01' 188" N; 038~1'566" E). The main objective of the study was to measure extent of restoration over a degraded landscape usi ng CoJJea arabica L. as a bioassay plant. In order to measure this, the phrase " Restoration Bioassay" was coined for coffee plants which were established beneath Acacia abysl'inica, Croton macrostachYlil' and Ellclea divinorum. The trees were regenerated after 5-6 years' of intensive restorat ion acti vi ties. All the vegetat ive and reproductive responses were quantified on randomly se lected 3 to 5 year·o ld coffee plants. Al so, soil samples from the si tes being restored, and those From the non- restoring adjacent areas were collected and analyzed for macro- and micro-n utrients, as well as for texture, moisture, density and elect rical conduct ivi ty. Through thi s study, it was found that mean number of nodes, leaves, as well as internode lengths were significantly (P<0.05) greater for coffee plants establ ished and maintained for 3-4 years beneath the A. abyssinica shades, compared to those beneath the C. mocros/(lchYlIs and E. divillorllm shades. Although no significant difference was found in height growth. mean leaf area of coffee plants that benefited by the shade of A. abyssinica was different, compared to those grown beneath the shades of C. macrostachYlis or E. divinorlll1l. Further, key phys iological and/or economic indices such as number of green berries, fresh weight of berries, s ize of beans, mature red berry harvest per plant, berry to bean ral io, weight of bean per berry. as well as weight per 1000 iii beans were all sign ifican tly (PItem Impact of Floriculture Effiluents on the Quality of Farmland Soils: A Case Study of Holeta Area, Oromia Regional State, Ethiopia(Addis Ababa University, 2013-06) Kebebew, Gemeda; Itnna, Prof.FissehaSOllie j loriClllfllre illduslries locoled al Ifolela 10WII discllllrge /I/Ilrealed eff'ue/lfs ill/o Ihe surrol/lldil1X eJl virol/lllel1l. As a re.wll excessil'C ferlilizer ol/d peslicide residlles /rO/ll Ille ftlrm (Ire deleriorating Ille soil. 'I11erefore, Illis s flldy was proposed wilh the ohjeclil'e of assessill)! Ille impact of eJjlllellls Fom Poticlllture illdllstries 011 soil ql/(llity. We selected {II'O s flldy .\·iles Ileal' Ihe jloriclIllllre induslryal Ilolela roWI/. The firsl sile used as a conlrol was selected Fom lite efflllelll Fee area arOlllld Ihe ftlrm Il'hcreO'i, Ihe secolld sire sel along lite effluellt j low. II /Owl of 30 samples (/5 Fom each) lI'ere lesled fin' Iheir physicochemical clwracleris/ics SIIClt as soil le:(/lIre, calioll excJwlIge capacily (CEC), exchallgeable base!)' and microllli/riellf IXW(IIllerers. '11/(' dafllwere allaly::ed IIsillg SAS softll'are /0 see iflhere were .,igllijica/l/ differences hetween Ihe COlllrol and impaired siles lit 5% level of signijicallce. Soil/ex/ure, pl/, CHe. exchangeable bases (K. Ca. Mg) showed sif!,lI ificllfIl differellces (1)<0,05) betll'een lite cOHlrol a/ld impaired ,dies. 011 Ihe olher IIalld OC. 'IN. Na and mic/'(Jllll lrielllS (Cu, ZI1. Fe lind Mn) showed illsignijiconl differellce. There is a si?,lIificlflll raise in pI I. K. Ca mul Mg and Sigllijiclfllt decrease ill CF.C ill effluelll affected areas wllieh jildiclile lite quali/y of f armlolld soil around Ihe jloriClllwre indl/s/ry has beell af/ecled. lIence, OCliOIlS slwllld be w ken before the precious soil I/Int 01// 10 be seriollsly pol/llfed Ellvirollmellwl oudil (llId ",osle waleI' mOllagemelll could be possible solUlions 10 millimi::e Ihe direct discharge offer/ili:er rich e(flIl('111.\ inlO lite soil and rhe riiver.