Changes in tree species diversity, composition and aboveground biomass in areas of fuelwood harvesting in miombo woodland ecosystems of southern Malawi. Issue 3 (3rd July 2019)
- Record Type:
- Journal Article
- Title:
- Changes in tree species diversity, composition and aboveground biomass in areas of fuelwood harvesting in miombo woodland ecosystems of southern Malawi. Issue 3 (3rd July 2019)
- Main Title:
- Changes in tree species diversity, composition and aboveground biomass in areas of fuelwood harvesting in miombo woodland ecosystems of southern Malawi
- Authors:
- Nerfa, Lauren
Rhemtulla, Jeanine M. - Abstract:
- ABSTRACT: Fuelwood is an essential forest product for small-holder farmers in the tropics, but fuelwood harvesting may cause forest degradation and impact ecosystem services. Understanding tree species composition, diversity and biomass changes in forests with active fuelwood collection is important for informing sustainable forest harvesting. In the miombo woodlands of southern Malawi, using forest plots, we investigated: 1) if forests with fuelwood harvesting (n = 50) have different tree, sapling and seedling stem density, species diversity, species composition, and aboveground biomass (AGB) than forests with minimal use (n = 36); and 2) if forest product harvesting pressure and access are predictors of tree stem density, diversity and AGB. We found a significant reduction in tree diversity and AGB but not stem density, and different species composition in areas with fuelwood harvesting compared to reference sites. For saplings, stem density was higher and species composition was different in fuelwood harvesting sites. Seedling Shannon index and Simpson's diversity were lower in fuelwood harvesting sites. Harvesting pressure and access were predictors of AGB and tree stem density. The reduced AGB and tree species diversity may hinder collection of fuelwood and other forest products, and may reduce ecosystem functioning. Exploring the possibility of forest landscape restoration in the area could be beneficial.
- Is Part Of:
- Forests, trees and livelihoods. Volume 28:Issue 3(2019)
- Journal:
- Forests, trees and livelihoods
- Issue:
- Volume 28:Issue 3(2019)
- Issue Display:
- Volume 28, Issue 3 (2019)
- Year:
- 2019
- Volume:
- 28
- Issue:
- 3
- Issue Sort Value:
- 2019-0028-0003-0000
- Page Start:
- 176
- Page End:
- 193
- Publication Date:
- 2019-07-03
- Subjects:
- Fuelwood -- tropical forests -- forest product harvesting -- forest degradation -- tree species diversity -- aboveground biomass -- miombo woodlands
Agroforestry -- Periodicals
Forest management -- Social aspects -- Periodicals
Agroforesterie -- Périodiques
Forêts -- Gestion -- Aspect social -- Périodiques
634.9 - Journal URLs:
- http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/tftl20 ↗
http://www.tandfonline.com/toc/tftl20/current ↗
http://www.tandfonline.com/ ↗ - DOI:
- 10.1080/14728028.2019.1621777 ↗
- Languages:
- English
- ISSNs:
- 1472-8028
- Deposit Type:
- Legaldeposit
- View Content:
- Available online (eLD content is only available in our Reading Rooms) ↗
- Physical Locations:
- British Library DSC - BLDSS-3PM
British Library HMNTS - ELD Digital store - Ingest File:
- 11244.xml