Tree Species Diversity and Composition of Miombo Woodlands in South-Central Angola: A Chronosequence of Forest Recovery after Shifting Cultivation
The study was carried out in the Cusseque area of the Municipality of Chitembo in south-central Angola. Our objectives were to assess the floristic diversity, the species composition, and stand structure ofMiombo woodlands during regeneration after shifting cultivation. A total of 40 plots of 1000m2 were surveyed and analyzed, corresponding tomature forests/woodlands and three fallow types of different age.The analyses were based on plot inventories of all treeswithDBH≥ 5 cm.Atotal of 51woody species, 38 genera, and 19 families were recorded. The dominant family was Fabaceae, with subfamily Caesalpinioideae being very abundant. Shannon Diversity and Evenness were highest in mature forests and young fallows, while themature forest stands showed the highest species richness. A Principal Coordinates Analysis (PCoA) showed many species shared between the intermediate fallow types, but only few species were shared with young fallows.Mature forests formed a clearly distinct group. This study shows potential pathways of forest recovery in terms of faster regeneration after agricultural abandonment and, thus, the results presented here can be used in future conservation and management plans in order to reduce the pressure on mature forests.
International Journal of Forestry Research
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