Abstract:
Soil seed bank investigation was done at Bezawit forest patch, Abay Millenium Park. The objective
of the study was to estimate th(i soil seed bank composition of the area. A total of 21 quadrants, out
of which seven were used for comparison, was established along line transects to study the
vegetation and soil seed bank compositiop of the area. Fifteen species were identified from direct
seed counting of which only two species Calpurnia aurea and Pittosporum viridifolium were able
to germinate. A total of eight species were recorded from germination trial of which only three
species, Calpurnia aurea, Pittosporum viridifolium and Pteroloblum stellautm, were found in the
above ground vegetation. The other germinated seeds were found only in the soil seed bank and were
herbs and two undetermined species. The Shannon-Wiener index generally showed low values for
both the seeds obtained from direct seed count (0-1.39959) and for germinated seeds (0.23379 -
1.26687) in the four soil layers. The total species diversity of the area as determined by seed bank
count and seed germination methods was 1.9 and 0.85 respectively while its value for standing
vegetation (for the two sampling transects was 2. 71-3 .16). The total standing vegetation species
diversity of the area was 3.2. The species richness, diversity and density decreased with increasing
soil depth. The species with the highest viable seed density were Bidens pilosa. Similarity between
standing vegetation and soil seed bank was generally low (0.313). The variability in species
distribution among the soil profiles was statistically different for few of the germinated seeds. It can
, be concluded that, Bezawit forest possesses small number and lower diversity of buried seeds,
'indicating that the study area is at risk of natural regeneration, while the number and diversity of the
standing vegetation of the area is high. Based on the results it is recommend that continued open
grazing system and human intervention that affects the natural regeneration capacity of different
species to be reduced, Artificial seedling plantation of native species to be done and Further
investigation on soil seed bank to be done for other forest patches of Abay Millennium Park .
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ABSTRAC