Tolera Fikadu*
Background: The fast growing natures of conifer tree species and favorable economic returns from these trees have encouraged the conversion of natural grasslands in open forests into tree plantations in ethiopia. The dominant tree species used for this purpose were Podocarpus falcatus, Juniperus procera and Cupressus lusitanica. These tree species plantation is spreading rapidly in mountain, specially, open forest areas of eastern oromia. Therefore, in the current study, we evaluated the effects of these tree species on herbaceous plant composition, distribution and diversity. Data was collected under and outside canopies of each tree in four directions. Four quadrants for each canopy type used. Twenty trees selected from each tree species. Totally, 60 trees were selected purposively. Four quadrants for each canopy type used under and outside canopy of the tree.
Results: The present results showed that tree species had negatively effect on herbaceous plant distribution, composition and diversity where the whole parameters were significantly higher outside canopy than inside canopy cover. The values of IVI reported that the outside canopy was dominated by hyparrhenia rufa while under canopy cover was dominated by oplismenus compositus. Also the value of IVI showed that some of the herbaceous species were found in both canopy types while a few of them were found only inside or outside canopy of the tree species.
Conclusion: Our current study suggests that Podocarpus falcatus, Juniperus procera and Cupressus lusitanica tree species has negative effects on the grassland found in open forest. Therefore, management and monitoring of herbaceous vegetation of grassland found in open forest is crucial in keramile open forest, Goro-Gutu district, eastern ethiopia and open woodlands receiving similar practice.
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