VEGETATION OF CHENCHA HIGHLANDS IN SOUTHERN ETHIOPIA

Abstract

The relationship between environmental factors and plant communities identified using
multivariate numerical analyses were investigated in the highlands of southern Ethiopia. Vegetation
data were obtained from relevés placed in belt transects along altitudinal gradients on the mountain
slopes following the Arbaminch-Chancha road. The relevés were placed in the two transects which ran
for about 30 km from 1180 m to 2250 m along the slope representing a 25 m vertical distance between
each relevés. The relationship among plant communities and environmental factors were established
using one way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA). Community transition and species diversity are affected,
inter alia, by environmental factors including soil properties, slope and aspect which varied
significantly (P <0.05). The Communities changed along altitudinal gradients as indicated by the high
community coefficients of 0.52, 0.53 and 0.16 in between adjacent communities. Species diversity and
richness were high in communities between 1250–1800 m. The high species diversity and richness is
explained partly by the variations in the environmental factors, which are associated with the effect of
altitude.