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COMPOSITION AND DIVERSITY OF TREE SPECIES IN HOMERANGES OF REDTAIL MONKEYS (CERCOPITHECUS ASCANIUS) IN SELECTED FOREST HABITATS IN UGANDA
Primate habitats are degrading at a drastic rate, the forest habitats are being replaced either by plantations or secondary forests. This create need to study vegetation patterns (tree diversity) of different habitats inhabited by primates so as to provide information relevant to conservation of these habitats. The goal of the study was to examine composition and diversity of tree species in home ranges of Redtail monkeys (Cercopithecus ascanius) in selected forest habitats in Uganda. The study took place in three selected forest patches Mabira, Rwengobe and Kibale National Park (Ngogo). Tree species diversity and composition were studied within home ranges of three groups of red-tailed Guenons, found in one of the above forest patch. Twenty five plots of dimension 20 x 20 were installed in each of the home ranges. All trees with diameter at breast height DBH ≥ 12.5 cm (5 inches) were identified and measured. A total of 1932 trees representing 129 species and 38 families recorded from a total area of 2.68ha. Moraceae was dominant family with 15 species, followed by Fabaceae with 14 species. Species were enumerated in Ngogo were 61, 76 species in Mabira and 36 species in Rwengobe. Diversity of trees found in Ngogo was 1.95056 (0.4608 evenness), Mabira 2.78817 (0.6438 evenness) and Rwengobe 2.478342 (0.6916 evenness). Diversity was found to vary from one site to another. The diversity in Ngogo differed significantly from that of Mabira (t= 12.0330, p< 0.05) and that of Rwengobe (t= 3.4371, p< 0.05). Additionally, diversity between Mabira and Rwengobe (t= 5.880, p<0.05). Also relative density, species richness and relative dominance differed for the three home ranges. The research can provide insight on species richness and diversity of plants which information can potentially be applied to understand forest ecology. In addition, the information on tree species composition and structure can provide baseline data for conservation of the biodiversity of the selected patches and overall habitat.
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