Floristic Composition, Vegetation Structure and Regeneration Status of Kimphe Lafa Natural Forest, Oromia Regional State, West Arsi, Ethiopia

Abstract

The study was conducted on Kimphe Lafa natural forest, a dry Afromontane forest, located in Arsi Negele woreda, West Arsi Zone, Oromia regional state in southeastern Ethiopia. The objective of the study was to assess floristic composition, vegetation structure and regeneration status of the forest. A total of one hundred thirty plant species belonging to 100 genera and 56 families were recorded and identified. Fabaceae was the most dominant family represented by eighteen species followed by Asteraceae with ten species and Euphorbiaceae with six species. Six plant communities: Vernonia urticifolia-Croton macrostachyus, Calpurnia aurea-Maytanus abuscura, Ficus sur-Podocarpus falcatus, Justicia shimperiana-Dodonaea angustifolia, community 5 without significant species and Maytanus arbotifolia-Caucanthus auricalatus were recognized. The densities for mature woody species, seedlings and saplings were 515.7, 1091.8 and 834.7 individuals ha^-1 respectively. The basal area of the forest was 114.4 m²ha^-1. The population structure and regeneration status of the forest indicated that there are anthropogenic disturbances in the area and immediate conservation actions have to be implemented for sustainable utilization of the forest.

Keywords: Dry afromontan forest Kimphe Lafa natural forest, floristic composition, regeneration