Browsing by Author "Owiny, Arthur A."

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    Communities of Trees Along a Tropical Forest Restoration Gradient
    (2016-01) Owiny, Arthur A.
    Increasing rates of deforestation in tropical forests have been linked to agriculturalists. A critical concern generating debate is how well communities of trees recover into a more species rich ecosystem after restoration planting. The aim of the study was to evaluate the pattern of recovery of communities of tree, assess the influence of Acanthus pubescens, Lantana camara and Pennisetum purpureum, on the recovery as well as how restoration planting facilitates recruitment of other native tree seedlings along a gradient of forest restoration in Kibale National Park, Uganda after evictions of illegal settlers. We studied six restoration forests ranging in age from 3 to 16 years, naturally regenerating and three primary forests. Our results showed that recovery with natural regeneration was more effective than restoration planting although the latter enhanced recruitment of other native tree seedling. Tree recovery was generally correlated with age so that species density and diversity increased although at different rates. A reverse pattern was found for dominance but no clear pattern was found for tree density (individual/ha). Communities of tree showed directional patterns of change however community composition were still distinct among the different forests. A. pubescens, L. camara and P. purpureum negatively correlated with species density, tree density and diversity but a positive correlation was found for dominance. Restoration planting can reestablish forests with high species density, tree density and diversity, but this is dependent on age and the extent of the herbs, grasses and shrubs cover in tropical forests.
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    Population structure and regeneration status of prunus Africana (Hoof.f.) Kalkm. after selective and clear felling in Kibale National Park, Uganda.
    (2014-12) Owiny, Arthur A.; Malinga, Geoffrey M.
    Prunus Africana is aglobally threatened indigenous medicinal tree species, and food for many primates. Its population has declined in sub-Saharan Africa due to unsustainable harvest and poor protection. In this study, we determined the population density, population structure and regeneration status of P. Africana in the former clear felled, selectively logged and primary forests of kibale National Park, and assessed the effects of dense cover of Acanthus pubescens on its regeneration. Trees were measured from 180 randomly established plots. The densities of P. Africana seedlings and saplings differed significantly among the three forests while that of poles and mature trees did not. The density of seedlings was significantly higher in the selectively logged than in primary forests. The density of saplings was higher in clear felled than selectively logged forests. Tree density was not negatively affected by A. pubescens cover. Clear felled areas had a more stable population structure with better regeneration, while selectively logged and primary forests had unstable population structures with poor recruitment potential. Our results show that P. Africana regenerates more in intensively disturbed forest areas than less disturbed or primary forests, highlighting the importance of regenerating forests in the conservation of P. Africana.