Deadwood, Living Value: Acacia Litter and Biodiversity in Central Tanzania | InformativeBD

Elkana Hezron and Julius W Nyahongo, from the institute of Tanzania.  wrote a Research article about, Deadwood, Living Value: Acacia Litter and Biodiversity in Central Tanzania. entitled, Quantification of deadwood littered by Acacia spp. in semi-arid ecosystems of central Tanzania: . This research paper published by the Journal of Biodiversity and Environmental Sciences | JBES. an open access scholarly research journal on Biodiversity. under the affiliation of the International Network For Natural Sciences| INNSpub. an open access multidisciplinary research journal publisher.

Abstract

Deadwood (DW) is an important carbon component for conservation and management of biodiversity resources. They are ubiquitous in many semi-arid ecosystems although its estimation is still posing lots of challenges. At Chimwaga woodland in Dodoma Region of Central Tanzania, seasonal quantification of DW produced by two Acacia spp. was done to evaluate the influence of each tree species, Dbh and canopy area on DW biomass and to determine their ecological role in conservation of semi-arid ecosystem. Both purposive and random sampling techniques were used in the course of a completely randomized design (CRD). Thirty trees from each species of Acacia tortilis and Acacia nilotica were studied. Results portray that DW biomass was significantly higher (P < 0.05) in the dry season than in the rain season whereby A. tortilis produced 669.0 ± 135.90kg DM/ha (dry season) and only 74.3 ± 135.90kg DM/ha (rain season) while A. nilotica produced 426.1 ± 135.90kg DM/ha (dry season) and 36.5 ± 135.90kg DM/ha (rain season). DW biomass did not correlate significantly (P > 0.05) with Dbh and canopy area. Inter-specific interactions were encountered from experimental areas where DW was littered that facilitated ecosystem balance in semi-arid areas. This information is important for estimating amount of dead wood biomass required to be retained in the forest provided that, at the expense of ecology, they are refuge for arthropods, fungi, bryophytes and other important soil microbes representing primary components of Biodiversity in semi-arid ecosystems.

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Introduction

Natural treasures and heritage such as those of semiarid areas rich in deadwood (DW) materials are rapidly utilized and depleted by living organisms globally while facing an extinction rate of about 100- 1000 times compared to the rate before 150,000 years ago of human life time (Baharul & Khan, 2010). Thousands of organisms depend on DW as an important key for biodiversity in forest ecosystems (Harmon & Sexton, 1996; Pyle & Brown, 1999). Africa and other continents such as Australia and America are comprised of such resources at large although they are faced with many challenges from anthropogenic activities (IUCN, 2017). Tanzania in East Africa is one among rich countries in terms of natural resources and biodiversity comprising semiarid woodlands (URT, 2014). Vast of Ecological, environmental and botanical studies have been done purposely to determine total area covered by forests, identify and estimate species diversity, abundance and distribution (Malimbwi & Zahabu, 2014; Monela, Chamshama, Mwaipopo, & Gamassa, 2005). Other studies are done to assess ecosystem goods and services obtained from these resources (Dharani, 2006; FAO, 2010; Monela et al., 2005; Sharam, Sinclair, Turkington, & Jacob, 2009). In disparity to the reported information, studies on DW production that estimate the biomass in semi-arid areas are scarce. Fewer research reports are available to describe the ecological importance contributed by DW and their role in biodiversity conservation for prevalence of savanna dry lands as well as sustainable use of forest products in semi-arid regions.

Earlier than 2007, many communities around the world considered DW as of less significant in the ecosystems (Stachura, Bobiec, Obidziñski, Oklejewicz, & Wolkowycki, 2007). These resources were regarded as uneconomical, obstacles to silviculture and reforestation that were reflected to a cause of abiotic disturbance that threatened the health of terrestrial ecosystems by catching fire easily (Pfeifer et al., 2015; Thomas, 2002; Travaglini et al., 2007; Travaglini & Chirici, 2006). Additionally, stumps from dead trees seemed to be source of injuries that endangered the public safety (Peterken, 1996; Thomas, 2002).

Dead Wood pieces and stumps are cleared from forests as a sanitary strategy (WWF, 2004). Collections of wood fuels increased from 243.3 million m3 (in 1990) to 313.9 million m3 (in 2005) in the Eastern and Southern African forests (Monjane, 2009). These actions lowered the quantity of DW and their ecological significance in the ecosystems (Travaglini et al., 2007). It is further reported that there were a stable quantity of harvestable DW produced from 1992/93 to 1995/96 regardless of partial variation from year to year in the African woodlands as indicated in Table 1 (Collins, 1977; Malaisse, Alexandre, Freson, Goffinet, & MalaisseMousset, 1972; Malaisse, Freson, Goffinet, & Malaisse-Mousset, 1975; Shackleton, 1998).

In recent years since 2000 up to date, conservationists have become alarmed about the role of DW in the natural ecosystems (Rondeux & Sanchez, 2009; MCPFE, 2002; Humphrey et al., 2004; Schuck, Meyer, Menke, Lier, & Lindner, 2004). Leaders in the developed and developing countries are encouraged by the WWF to call foresters, environmentalists, agriculturists and ecologists to conserve biodiversity by increasing DW in the forests to 20-30 m3/ha by 2030 (WWF, 2004; Marage & Lemperiere, 2005; Zielonka, 2006; Vandekerkhove et al., 2009; Humphrey & Bailey, 2012).

It is reported that the available information on DW production is limited to total harvestable and standing DW with scarce data on the biomass produced by DW in semi-arid ecosystems under the influence of natural factors (Malaisse et al., 1972; Collins, 1977; Shackleton, 1998; Chojnacky & Heath, 2002; WWF, 2004).

Hence, the study aimed to (1) quantify the amount of DW biomass produced by Acacia spp. during dry and rain seasons, (2) evaluate the influence of each tree species, Dbh and canopy area on DW biomass and (3) to determine the ecological role of DW in conserving biodiversity of semi-arid ecosystem through provision of nutrients to decomposers.

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Article source : Quantification of deadwood littered by Acacia spp. in semi-arid ecosystems of central Tanzania:The role of deadwood in biodiversity conservation