scholarly journals Monitoring Wild Coffee Using Ground Survey and Satellite Observation in Community-Managed Forest in Sheko, South-West Ethiopia

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (22) ◽  
pp. 9409
Author(s):  
Byongjun Hwang ◽  
Adrian Wood ◽  
Matthew Snell ◽  
Desyalew Fantaye ◽  
Endale Belayneh ◽  
...  

Preserving wild coffee in the natural forest, especially in southwest Ethiopia, is important for maintaining the genetic diversity of Arabica coffee and sustaining coffee production. To monitor the changes in wild coffee in the natural forest, we conducted an in situ baseline survey in 2015, and 30 of those survey sites were re-visited in 2019. Those surveys involved counting the number of mature mother trees, saplings and seedlings, as well as recording details of the sites, including disturbance, accessibility and forest conditions. Satellite imagery was combined with the site-specific in situ survey data to provide evidence of the forest condition around the study sites and therefore help more fully explore the causes for the changes in the wild coffee stock. The results show that, overall, the population of mother coffee trees was maintained during the 4-year period, and a slight increase in saplings occurred. Closer examination reveals considerable variations between sites, with some equally accessible sites showing a sharp decline in the number of mother trees while others show consistent increases. This study demonstrates the importance of systematic surveys, especially for the areas where forest cover and wild coffee plants are highly variable, and this may help explore community-specific approaches in managing wild coffee in the forest.

2015 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 27 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ryan D. Huish ◽  
Tevita Faka'osi ◽  
Heimuli Likiafu ◽  
Joseva Mateboto ◽  
Katherine H. Huish

The aromatic heartwood of Santalum yasi has been harvested extensively in Fiji and Tonga over the past two centuries for international trade in the medicinal, perfume, and incense industry and other cultural purposes. Field surveys and a review of historic and modern documents reveal a sparse and scattered distribution and indicate that the natural distribution of S. yasi has fluctuated over time, even declining to local extinction in the wild in some areas, while S. album has been introduced and naturalisation of S. yasi × S. album hybrids is evident. Population data collected along transects in three in situ S. yasi populations show discontinuous size-class structures, indicating regenerative stress. The population densities at study sites ranged from 19 to 63 adult trees (≥5 cm dbh) per hectare and less than two heartwood-bearing trees (≥15 cm dbh) per hectare. Though S. yasi trees may attain up to 40 cm dbh, no trees greater than 23 cm dbh were found in any of the studied populations. Low density and small size of adult trees and human-induced bole damage are suggestive of frequent, premature, and defensive harvesting patterns and indicate the need for ongoing adaptive comanagement in recognition of underlying economic and sociocultural pressures.


2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Elly Lestari Rustiati ◽  
Priyambodo Priyambodo ◽  
Yanti Yulianti ◽  
Eko Agus Srihanto ◽  
Dian Neli Pratiwi ◽  
...  

Way Kambas National Park (WKNP) is home of five protected big mammals including sumatran elephants.  It shares its border with 22 of 37 villages surrounding the national park.  Understanding their existence in the wild is a priority, and  wildlife genetics is a crucially needed. Besides poaching and habitat fragmentation, wildlife-human conflict is one big issue.  Elephant Training Center (ETC) in WKNP is built for semi in-situ conservation effort on captive sumatran elephants that mainly have conflict histories with local people.  Participative observation and bio-molecular analysis were conducted to learn the importance of captive Sumatran elephant for conservation effort.  Through captive sumatran elephants, database and applicable methods are expected to be developed supporting the conservation of their population in the wild.  Participative observation and molecular identification was carried on captive sumatran elephants in ETC, WKNP under multiple year Terapan grant of Ministry of Research and Technology Higher Education, Indonesia. Gene sequence and cytological analyses showed that the captive sumatran elephants are closely related and tend to be domesticated.  Translocation among ETC to avoid inbreeding, and maintaining the captive sumatran elephant as natural as possible are highly recommended. Developing genetic database can be a reference for both captive and wild sumatran elephants.


Water ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (11) ◽  
pp. 1525
Author(s):  
Christian Ferrarin ◽  
Pierluigi Penna ◽  
Antonella Penna ◽  
Vedrana Spada ◽  
Fabio Ricci ◽  
...  

The aim of this study is to develop a relocatable modelling system able to describe the microbial contamination that affects the quality of coastal bathing waters. Pollution events are mainly triggered by urban sewer outflows during massive rainy events, with relevant negative consequences on the marine environment and tourism and related activities of coastal towns. A finite element hydrodynamic model was applied to five study areas in the Adriatic Sea, which differ for urban, oceanographic and morphological conditions. With the help of transport-diffusion and microbial decay modules, the distribution of Escherichia coli was investigated during significant events. The numerical investigation was supported by detailed in situ observational datasets. The model results were evaluated against water level, sea temperature, salinity and E. coli concentrations acquired in situ, demonstrating the capacity of the modelling suite in simulating the circulation in the coastal areas of the Adriatic Sea, as well as several main transport and diffusion dynamics, such as riverine and polluted waters dispersion. Moreover, the results of the simulations were used to perform a comparative analysis among the different study sites, demonstrating that dilution and mixing, mostly induced by the tidal action, had a stronger effect on bacteria reduction with respect to microbial decay. Stratification and estuarine dynamics also play an important role in governing microbial concentration. The modelling suite can be used as a beach management tool for improving protection of public health, as required by the EU Bathing Water Directive.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adrian Ringenbach ◽  
Peter Bebi ◽  
Perry Bartelt ◽  
Andrin Caviezel

<p>Forests with a high density and basal area of living trees are known for their function as natural and cost-efficient protection against rockfall. The role of deadwood, however, is less understood. We address this knowledge gap in this contribution as we present the results of repeated real-scale experiments in a) a montane beech-spruce forest with and without deadwood and b) in a subalpine scrub mountain pine-spruce forest with deadwood. We used artificial rocks with either an equant or platy shape, masses between 45 kg and 800 kg (≈ 0.3 m3), and equipped with in-situ sensors to gain insights into rotational velocities and impact-accelerations. Clusters of deadwood and erected root plates reduced the mean runout distance at both study sites. For site a), we found that more rocks were stopped behind lying than living trees and that the stopping effect of deadwood was greater for equant compared to platy rock shapes. Site b) revealed a braking effect of scrub mountain pines for relatively small (45 kg), but also a visible reduction in rotational velocities for the 800 kg rocks sensor stream. We conclude that deadwood must be taken into account in rockfall modeling and the management of rockfall protection forests.</p>


2017 ◽  
Vol 130 (4) ◽  
pp. 281 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Hamer

Bears (Ursus spp.) in North America eat the seeds of several pines (Pinus spp.), including Limber Pine (P. flexilis E. James). Information on use of Limber Pine in Canada is limited to a report of three bear scats containing pine seeds found in Limber Pine stands of southwestern Alberta. After my preliminary fieldwork in Banff National Park revealed that bears were eating seeds of Limber Pine there, I conducted a field study in 2014–2015 to assess this use. Because bears typically obtain pine seeds from cone caches (middens) made by Red Squirrels (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus), I described the abundance, habitat characteristics, and use by bears of Red Squirrel middens in and adjacent to Limber Pine stands at six study sites. On Bow River escarpments, I found abundant Limber Pines (basal area 1–9 m2/ha) and middens (0.8 middens/ha, standard deviation [SD] 0.2). Of 24 middens, 13 (54%) had been excavated by bears, and three bear scats composed of pine seeds were found beside middens. Although Limber Pines occurred on steep, xeric, windswept slopes (mean 28°, SD 3), middens occurred on moderate slopes (mean 12°, SD 3) in escarpment gullies and at the toe of slopes in forests of other species, particularly Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii). At the five other study sites, I found little or no use of Limber Pine seeds by bears, suggesting that Limber Pine habitat may be little used by bears unless the pines are interspersed with (non-Limber Pine) habitat with greater forest cover and less-steep slopes where squirrels establish middens. These observations provide managers with an additional piece of information regarding potential drivers of bear activity in the human-dominated landscape of Banff National Park’s lower Bow Valley.


2011 ◽  
Vol 89 (12) ◽  
pp. 1214-1222 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ashley A.D. McLaren ◽  
Lenore Fahrig ◽  
Nigel Waltho

Previous studies suggest the gap in forest cover generated by roads contributes to the barrier effect of roads on movement of forest-dwelling small mammals. However, it is not known if vegetated medians of divided highways affect movement of small mammals by reducing the effective highway width. The purpose of our study was to determine whether the type of vegetation cover in the median (treed or grassy) or median width affects small-mammal crossings of divided highways. At 11 study sites varying in median cover type and width, we live-trapped small mammals next to one side of the highway and translocated them to the opposite side of the highway using a standardized translocation distance. In total, 24% of translocated individuals were recaptured on the side of the highway of initial capture, i.e., they had moved across the entire highway. This was significantly lower than what would have been expected in the absence of the highway (58%). The overall probability of recapturing a translocated individual was not significantly related to median cover type or width. Our results suggest that efforts to mitigate the barrier effect of highways on small mammals cannot be accomplished by altering median vegetation type and width.


2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (4) ◽  
pp. 153-162
Author(s):  
Mohammed Adefa Seid ◽  
Yigardu Mulatu ◽  
Agena Anjulo ◽  
Semaigzer Ayalew ◽  
Hailu Belay ◽  
...  

The population dynamics and genetic qualities of stem height and dbh of the populations of Milicia excelsa, Pouteria adolfi-fridercii, Antiaris toxicaria and Prunus africana were assessed and studied in 14 forest ecosystems in south and south-western Ethiopia. A systematic random quadrat sampling technique was employed to identify potential habitat area for selected timber species in south and south-western Ethiopia. So, a total of 10 parallel transect lines were set out across each forest habitat. Milicia excelsa was assessed in four forest ecosystems; Bebeka -Duduka natural forest (45 tree stem ha-1) and Yayu coffee mixed forest (40 tree stem ha-1) appeared to have relatively denser population of M. excelsa compared to the other pilot forests. Similarly, statistically larger stem height (m) is observed in Bebeka-Duduka natural forest (x̅=29.5, SD=4.2) and larger dbh size (cm) in Bebeka 1 coffee mixed forest (x̅=48.5, SD=25.2) at p<0.05. Hence, Bebeka-Duduka natural forest and Bebeka 1 coffee mixed forests are identified for in-situ SPA establishment project of the target species. Pouteria adolfi-fridercii was assessed in eight forest ecosystems; Masha-Gora shewi forest appeared to have dense population of P. adolfi-fridercii (150 tree stem ha-1) followed by Bebeka-Kebereta (80 tree stem ha-1) as compared to the remaining pilot forests. However, statistically larger stem height (m) is scored in Bebeka 2 natural forest (x̅=30.6, SD=2.98) and Bebeka-kebereta forest (x̅=30.0, SD=4.4) and larger dbh size (cm) in Bebeka 2 natural forest (x̅=96.5, SD=19.9) at p<0.05. So, Bebeka 2 natural forest and Bebeka-kebereta forest are identified for SPA establishment project of the target species. Antiaris toxicaria was assessed in two forest ecosystems where both forest habitats appeared to have the same density of Antiaris toxicaria in hectare. Moreover, analyses of mean stem height (cm) of Bebeka 1 forest (x̅=21.4, SD=5.2) and Bebeka-kebereta forest (x̅=22.4, SD=2.7), and mean dbh size (cm) of Bebeka 1 forest (x̅=48, SD=16.4) and Bebeka-kebereta forest (x̅=48, SD=8.2) appeared to have not significantly different at p<0.05. Prunus africana was assessed in five forest ecosystems; Masha-Gora shewi forest appeared to have dense population of Prunus africana (150 tree stem ha-1) followed by Kaho-shemeta forest (130 tree stem ha-1) as compared to the remaining pilot forests. However, statistically larger stem height (m) is scored in Kaho-shemeta natural forest (x̅=31, SD=7.6) and larger dbh (cm) in Masha-Gora shewi forest (x̅=64.7, SD=28.2) at p<0.05. As the result, Kaho-shemeta natural forest and Bonga-Teja-adela forest are identified for establishment of seed production area of the target species in-situ. Hence, while implementing the project of domestication and seed production area establishment in south and south-western Ethiopia, in-situ and ex-situ areas must be selected and delineated in accordance with this preliminary information of the population dynamics and genetic qualities of stem height and diameter at breast height. The survey data generated in this study would bridge the research gap in relation to the population status of the target tree species in the designated area.


Agromet ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
pp. 33
Author(s):  
Naimatu Solicha ◽  
Tania June ◽  
M. Ardiansyah ◽  
Antonius B. W.

Forests play an important role in global carbon cycling, since they hold a large pool of carbon as well as potential carbon sinks and sources to the atmosphere. Accurate estimation of forest biomass is required for greenhouse gas inventories and terrestrial carbon accounting. The information on biomass is essential to assess the total and the annual capacity of forest vigor. Estimation of aboveground biomass is necessary for studying productivity, carbon cycles, nutrient allocation, and fuel accumulation in terrestrial ecosystem. The possibility that above ground forest biomass might be determined from space is a promising alternative to ground-based methods. Remote sensing has opened an effective way to estimate forest biomass and carbon. By the combination of data field measurement and allometric equation, the above ground trees biomass possible to be estimated over the large area. The objectives of this research are: (1) To estimate the above ground tree biomass and carbon stock of forest cover in Lore Lindu National Park by combination of field data observation, allometric equation and multispectral satellite image; (2) to find the equation model between parameter that determines the biomass estimation. The analysis showed that field data observation and satellite image classification influencing much on the accuracy of trees biomass and carbon stock estimation. The forest cover type A and B (natural forest with the minor timber extraction) has the higher biomass than C and D (natural forest with the major timber extraction and agro forestry), it is about 607 ton/ha and 603 ton/ha. Forest cover type C is 457 ton/ha. Forest cover type D has the lowest biomass is about 203 ton/ha. Natural forest has high biomass, because of the tropical vegetation trees heterogeneity. Forest cover D has the lowest trees biomass because its vegetation component as secondary forest with the homogeneity of cacao plantation. The forest biomass and carbon estimation for each cover type will be useful for the further equation analysis when using the remote sensing technology for estimating the total biomass and for the economic carbon analysis.Forests play an important role in global carbon cycling, since they hold a large pool of carbon as well as potential carbon sinks and sources to the atmosphere. Accurate estimation of forest biomass is required for greenhouse gas inventories and terrestrial carbon accounting. The information on biomass is essential to assess the total and the annual capacity of forest vigor. Estimation of aboveground biomass is necessary for studying productivity, carbon cycles, nutrient allocation, and fuel accumulation in terrestrial ecosystem. The possibility that above ground forest biomass might be determined from space is a promising alternative to ground-based methods. Remote sensing has opened an effective way to estimate forest biomass and carbon. By the combination of data field measurement and allometric equation, the above ground trees biomass possible to be estimated over the large area. The objectives of this research are: (1) To estimate the above ground tree biomass and carbon stock of forest cover in Lore Lindu National Park by combination of field data observation, allometric equation and multispectral satellite image; (2) to find the equation model between parameter that determines the biomass estimation. The analysis showed that field data observation and satellite image classification influencing much on the accuracy of trees biomass and carbon stock estimation. The forest cover type A and B (natural forest with the minor timber extraction) has the higher biomass than C and D (natural forest with the major timber extraction and agro forestry), it is about 607 ton/ha and 603 ton/ha. Forest cover type C is 457 ton/ha. Forest cover type D has the lowest biomass is about 203 ton/ha. Natural forest has high biomass, because of the tropical vegetation trees heterogeneity. Forest cover D has the lowest trees biomass because its vegetation component as secondary forest with the homogeneity of cacao plantation. The forest biomass and carbon estimation for each cover type will be useful for the further equation analysis when using the remote sensing technology for estimating the total biomass and for the economic carbon analysis.


2015 ◽  
Vol 21 (3) ◽  
pp. 243 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marie Murphy ◽  
Kay Howard ◽  
Giles E. St J. Hardy ◽  
Bernard Dell

To regenerate sandalwood (Santalum spicatum) stands in south-western Australia it is necessary to understand the complex relationship between woylies (Bettongia penicillata ogilbyi) and sandalwood. Sandalwood requires a seed disperser for successful recruitment and in the past the critically endangered woylie played an important role in dispersing and caching seeds, but it is not clear whether this mutualistic and antagonistic relationship is beneficial to regeneration efforts. An enclosure in a woodland and 46Scandium-labelled seeds, enabled study of the in situ predation of seeds, caching, the fate of cached seeds, the detection of cached seeds and predation of germinated seeds. Woylies preferentially cached sandalwood, then S. acuminatum seeds, before any interest was shown in Acacia acuminata and Gastrolobium microcarpum seeds, which were virtually all eaten in situ. Of a further 500 radiolabelled and individually numbered sandalwood seeds deployed, 42.2% were eaten in situ, 20.8% had an unknown fate and 37% were cached, with some seeds being recached up to four times. After nine months, only four cached seeds remained undisturbed. Olfaction appeared to be the primary method of cache detection. To examine the recruitment rate of cached seeds, the fate of 89 transplanted sandalwood seedlings at two study sites was followed. After one month 38% were intact and growing, but half of the transplanted seedlings were dug up and the remaining endosperm was eaten in situ or taken away. The results highlight the potential of providing seed supplies, including sandalwood seeds and seeds of their hosts, to seed-dispersal marsupials for passive ecosystem repair.


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