Woody Species Diversity and Community Analysis of Sekelamariam Forest in Denbecha, Northwestern Ethiopia

The study of woody species diversity and community analysis of Sekelamariam forest was conducted in Denbecha, Northwestern Ethiopia. This study revealed composition, diversity and community analysis of woody species; identifying community types of the forest. Systematic sampling method was used to collect vegetation data from forty two 20 m x 20 m sample plots for woody. The sample plots were laid at every 50 m interval along altitude and transects laid at 100m apart. Then, DBH>2.5cm and height>2 m, were measured and recorded in each plot. The vegetation classification was performed using PC-ORD software package. Vegetation classification following R-3.3.2 software resulted three communities, namely, Galiniera saxifrage Community, Calpurnia aurea-Nuxia congesta, Maesa lanceolata –Croton macrostachyus community. Sorensen’s similarity among the communities revealed that those communities are 60-71% similar. Thus, all the communities identified were important in terms of woody species diversity and sensitivity from conservation point of view. The quantitative species diversity, richness and evenness were computed to describe plant diversity in each community type. A total of 59 woody plants belonging to 39 genera and 38 families were identified. Fabaceae family had the highest number of taxa followed by Euphorbaceae. Woody species densities for mature individuals were 750 stem/ha. The total basal area of the forest was 7.4 m2/ ha. Grazing and other human impacts were evident in the lower elevation, leading to depletion of locally useful woody species. Moreover, this forest is the only remaining natural forest whose conservation will be a source of gene pool for afforstation in the surrounding areas