An Ecological Study Of Vegetation Around Lake Abijata

Ecological study of the vegetation around Lake Abijata was carried out within the principalrnobjective of describing the plant communities of the study site. In order to determine thernplant communities five transects were laid from the shoreline to the open land. Along thernlaid transects, different sized quadrats 1 m2 (for herbs), 25 m2 (for shrubs) and 100 m2 (forrnwoody species) were systematically laid to collect floristic data following a 1-9 modifiedrnBraun Blanquet scale (van der Maarel, 1979). All together a total of 143 quadrats werernsampled from the study site. Soil samples were taken from the depth of 0-20 cm using soilrnauger and analyzed for soil pH, electrical conductivity, cation exchange capacity, soilrntexture and bulk density.rnData were analyzed using various multivariate methods, inter alia, TWINSPAN (Two wayrnindicator species analysis), CCA (Canonical Correspondence Analysis) and DCArn(Detrended Correspondence Analysis). A total of 97 plant species belonging to 28 familiesrnwere identified. The TWINSPAN out put showed that there are 6 different plantrncommunities.rnThe distribution patterns of plant species in the study area shows horizontal stratificationrnwith the strata being dominated by its dominant species. The distribution patterns of thernplant species in the area appears to be governed by soil as the most importantrnenvironmental factors.

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