Abstract
This study was conducted in Mehal Wonz – Zego Natural Forest, North Shewa Zone, Amhara Regional State, Ethiopia, to identify the plant species, classify plant community types, and relate the community to the environmental variables. The vegetation data were gathered along five transects lines laid around five gogrges distriuted across the forest. Sixty-seven sample plots of 20 m × 20 m (400 m2) were laid at 100 m altitudinal drop in each transect from the top of the forest to the bottom of the forest. Environmental variables such as altitude, grazing, disturbance, aspect, slope, and geographical coordinates were measured in each plot. One hundred six plant species, categorized into 96 genera, 59 families, were recorded. The agglomerative hierarchical cluster analysis identified five plant communities. Asteraceae was the most species rich family while herbs were the dominant growth forms. The canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) showed that altitude, grazing, and disturbance were among the major environmental variables in determining plant species distribution patterns and community type formation. The presence of high species diversity and richness reveals the potential of the area for biodiversity conservation. Thus, all stakeholders, particularly the Ankober district natural resource management office, the Amhara forest enterprise and the regional government, should devise a relevant conservation plan to save this valuable resource.
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This work was financially supported by Debre Berhan University.
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This research is mainly an ecological and study and did not involve experiment on plant species. Thus, Parts related to Ethics approval and consent to participate is not applicable for this work. The collected plant specimens in this research were deposited in the biology depatmet of DBU. However, experiment was not conducted on the plant. Permissions were needed and subsequently obtained From Ankober district natural resource management office in order to use/sample the land as described, and obtain sample.
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Gultie, W., Dibaba, A. Floristic composition and plant community types in Mehal Wonz-Zego forest, north Shewa zone, Amhara regional state, Ethiopia.
Sci Rep (2026). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-57719-4
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-57719-4
Keywords
- Disturbance
- Dominant
- Floristic composition
- Plant community
- Zego
Source: Ecology - nature.com
