FLORISTIC COMPOSITION AND STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS OF WOODY SPECIES AROUND CHIFRA DISTRICT, AFAR REGIONAL STATE, NORTH-EASTERN ETHIOPIA

Introduction: Various reports indicate that there is a great change in land use and emerging livelihood adaptations. This creates disturbances that probably affect natural trees in the forest of arid and semi-arid areas of the pastoralists. As a result this study was focussed on the floristic composition and structural analysis of woody plant species around Chifra controlled hunting area, Afar Regional State, North-eastern Ethiopia to know and document the current status of the vegetation which will help us to conserve the vegetation resource.

Material and Methods: To study woody plants study sites were selected via purposeful sampling in protected, mountains and degraded watersheds following survey. At the end of the day, forty (40) plots (20 meter x 20 meter) were laid down. A hierarchical cluster analysis was used for vegetation data analysis.

Results and Discussion: A total of 28 woody plant species which are taxonomically belonging to 13 families were identified. Among of these trees covers 39%, medium trees cover 7% and shrub covers the remaining 54%. The most species rich family is Fabaceae with 9 species and covers about 31.5%. Density distribution over diameter at breast height and height classes of the most dominant species follows the same trend as that of the relative basal area. Acacia polyacantha attain highest sizes and is the most dominant tree in the area. The result of cluster analysis shows that, four plant communities with distinct species were identified. The major threats of woody plants are tree cutting and overgrazing.

Conclusion and Recommendation: As a result a plantation, soil and water conservation work is the main conservation method that should be applied in the areas to conserve and facilitate regeneration of woody plants.