T. Bekele, PHYTOSOCIOLOGY AND ECOLOGY OF A HUMID AFROMONTANE FOREST ON THE CENTRAL PLATEAU OF ETHIOPIA, Journal of vegetation science, 5(1), 1994, pp. 87-98
This paper describes an analysis of the floristic composition and ecol
ogical relationships of the Jibat forest, a large remnant humid forest
in western Shewa, Ethiopia. The description was based on cover-abunda
nce data for both woody and understorey species. The environmental ana
lysis included altitude, slope, aspect, and physical and chemical soil
properties. The application of classification and ordination methods
resulted in the recognition of eight community types, which could be a
rranged along an altitudinal gradient. Organic matter, cation exchange
capacity, phosphorus, and silt are positively correlated, while clay,
electrical conductance and magnesium are negatively correlated with a
ltitude. A clearer result was obtained when Canonical Correspondence A
nalysis was applied only to the woody species composition.