Spatial variation in plant species richness and diversity along human disturbance and environmental gradients in a tropical wetland

Andrew, S. M.; Totland, Q.; Moe, S. R.

dc.creator	Andrew, S. M.
dc.creator	Totland, Q.
dc.creator	Moe, S. R.
dc.date	2018-10-10T06:21:04Z
dc.date	2018-10-10T06:21:04Z
dc.date	2014-11
dc.date.accessioned	2022-10-25T08:53:20Z
dc.date.available	2022-10-25T08:53:20Z
dc.identifier	395–404
dc.identifier	https://www.suaire.sua.ac.tz/handle/123456789/2631
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/123456789/93649
dc.description	Wetlands Ecology and Management, 2015; 23:395–404
dc.description	Human disturbance, natural environmen- tal conditions and seed dispersal are often inferred as important drivers of plant community richness and diversity in wetland ecosystems. However, plant functional groups within a plant community have different environmental requirements and may respond differently to human disturbance. Therefore, the understanding of the relative importance of these variables in determining community and functional groups richness and diversity is important for improved management and wise use of wetland resources. We collected data on vegetation and envi- ronmental conditions, human disturbance and seed dispersal from 60 plots of 20 9 50 m, to identify variables that potentially affect total species richness and Shannon-Wiener diversity of the grassland plant community at the Kilombero Valley wetland, Tanza- nia. We further tested whether important predictor variables for species richness and Shannon-Wiener diversity differ among graminoid, forb and shrub functional groups. Overall, our results suggest that environmental conditions, human disturbance and seed dispersal determine spatial variation in species rich- ness and Shannon-Wiener diversity of the grassland vegetation. The total richness and Shannon-Wiener diversity and the richness of shrubs decreased with distance from the Kilombero River, whereas the total Shannon-Wiener diversity and the Shannon-Wiener diversity of graminoids decreased with the increase in grazing intensity. Shrub species richness was related to the spatial position of plots and decreased with total organic carbon of soil. Current increase in human disturbances through cattle husbandry and changes in natural environmental conditions (e.g. through water diversion and drainage) should be discouraged in order to restore and sustain biodiversity of the Kilombero wetland.
dc.format	application/pdf
dc.language	en
dc.publisher	Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 2014
dc.subject	Plant functional groups
dc.subject	Wetland grasslands
dc.subject	Anthropogenic disturbance
dc.subject	Shannon index
dc.subject	Kilombero
dc.subject	Tanzania
dc.title	Spatial variation in plant species richness and diversity along human disturbance and environmental gradients in a tropical wetland
dc.type	Article