Bekele Endashaw (Professor)Demissew Sebsebe (Professor)Teklehaymanot Tilahun2018-07-122023-11-082018-07-122023-11-082001http://etd.aau.edu.et/handle/123456789/8369The study was conducted to work out the relation and conservation strategy of thc endcmic Klliphofia species by comparing their distribution, demography, reproductive biology, and genetic diversity. The KllipllOfia species studied include KlliphoJia foliosa, K. hildebralldtii, K. illsignis, K. isoetijolia, K. schill/peri and K. plllllila.The experiments performed were divided into field, greenhouse and laboratory. The field data were collected from nine experimental sites each with a size of 20 m X 20 m plot. The data collected from field and greenhouse include demography, reproductive and quantitative morphological phenotypic characters. The laboratory studies consist of karyotype, isoenzyme analysis and sequencing of tmL-tmF intergenic spacer of the chloroplast DNA. Theresults obtained from the distribution data showed that the KllipllOfia species are spread in waterlogged grassland to openings in the montane forest on the mountainous part of the country ranging from 2000 m.a.s.l. to 4000 m.a.s.l. KnipllOfia foliosa, K. isoetijolia, K. schill/peri are relatively widespread than K. insignis and K. hildebrandtii.The results from demography and reproductive biology have shown that Kniphofia species are clonal plants that reproduce asexually and sexually. The meristems from the rhizomes give rise to new ramets that later produce their own rhizome. The new rhizome remains attached with the mother rhizome (underground stem). K. foliosa and K. isoetijolia have runners that give rise to new ramets that have the potential to be physiologically independent clones. K. foliosa has the highest and K. hildebrandtii the smallest number of ramets in the experimental sites. The presently studied Kniphofia species have protandrous flowers and pollinated by Tecezze sunbirds (Nectarilla tacazze). The fruit to flower ratio ranges from 0.17 to 0.7. Klliphofia species have 2n =12 number of chromosomes and the karyotype is 1m + 3sm + 2sm. The homologous pair in each species has different total chromosome lengths except the short arms of chromosome V and VI (p< 0.05). The dendogram made based on the morphology of the mitotic chromosomes indicated close relationship among all except K. foliosa. The genetic diversity of the Klliphofia species as a whole is higher than what is described for endemic species. The total genetic diversity at the polymolphic loci ranges from 0.123 K. foliosa to 0.396 in K. sclzimperi. The genetic variation harboured among the species is only 6.6%. They have high genetic identity and very low genetic distance than congeneric species. Despite their closeness, K. illsigllis showed divergence on the cladogram made based on the genetic similarity values. The trnL (UAA)3'-trnF (GAA) intergenic spacer of chloroplast DNA of the Klliphofia species has very low diversification among the species. The variations realized from the alignment of the sequences were one length mutation (indel) and four substitutions (transversion). The phylogenetic study of the species needs molecular markers that can provide sufficient parsimony-informative characters. The results of the studies indicated that the two geographically restricted species (K. hildebralldt;; and K. illsigllis) might need due attention when compared to the rest of the endemic species due to the land use changes taking place at present. Other wise, none of the studied population in the studied Klliphofia species are endangered because of genetic erosion or inbreeding.enBiologyThesis