Bini, Tesfaye (PhD)Meshesha, Million (PhD)Abduselam, Samir2020-06-152023-11-182020-06-152023-11-182001-07http://etd.aau.edu.et/handle/12345678/21604The Forestry Research Center (FRC) has an objective of PROVIDING users with scientific knowledge by disseminating research output, so that the, production and productivity of tree I species improved and conservation activities are better managed. At the moment, FRC is experiencing difficulties in fulfilling the above-mentioned objective. Among the factors for experiencing such difficulties are the isolated research, poor information and communications technology (ICT) use, lack of enough and accessible experts in the field of species selection, and lack of systematic research compilation techniques. In an attempt to help FRC address such problems, particularly with respect to information dissemination, the present study, specifically, explores the potentiality of applying expert systems technology in species selection task. in particular, A Prototype Species Selection Expert System, SPEX, is developed by working closely with experts in the research center having years of expiree in an attempt to help FRC address such problems, particularly with respect to information dissemination, the present study, specifically, explores the potentiality of applying expert systems technology in species selection task. In particular, A Prototype Species Selection Expert System, SPEX, is developed by working closely with experts in the research center having years of experience and skills in the area of species selection. And skills in the area of species selection. The knowledge acquired from these experts is modeled using the Hierarchical structure that represents concepts and parameters involved in species selection. Based on the model, the knowledge is represented using production rules. These rules are then implemented in the knowledge-pro expert system shell. Backward chaining is used in inferring the rules and extracting recommendations. The Certainty Factor (CF) for each species is calculated on priority basis to measure the belief of the human expert on the selected species. SPEX has also been tested by the experts and users from Forestry Research Center (FRC). Based on an encouraging result/output obtained, they have established its acceptability and accuracy. The experts finally recoil/mended that a way should be devised to build a complete species selection expert system that include all tree species, which were researched in the center.enInformation ScienceThesis