Effects of large-scale teak plantation establishment on plant species composition and diversity in Kilombero valley, Tanzania
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Date
2022
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Tanzania Journal of Forestry and Nature Conservation
Abstract
Kilombero Teak Company (KVTC) have
cleared more than 7,500 ha of natural
miombo woodland since 1992, to establish a
teak plantation in Kilombero valley.
Currently, less is known about how this
large teak plantation supports the previous
existed
plants
species
before
its
establishment. This study, investigated the
understory plant species found in teak
plantation and made reference on natural
remnants around the plantation. The main
hypothesis was that, natural remnants
around the teak plantation would be richer
and diversified in species, than teak
plantation. Nested plots of 40 m x 20 m, 20
m x 10 m and 1 m x 1 m were established
and used to survey plant species within
plantation and natural remnants. Results
showed that, natural remnants and
plantation were 58% similar in plant species
recorded. Natural remnants observed to
have a statistically significant higher plant
species richness (p = 0.043), families (p =
0.049) and abundance (p = 0.004) but lower
plant species diversity (p = 0.01) than the
plantation. The higher plant diversity
scenario in teak plantation, shows that a
plantation can support a variety of non-teak
plant species that existed in the valley
before its establishment in any favorable condition
Description
Journal Article
Keywords
Natural remnants, plant species richness, plant abundance