TITLE:
Natural regeneration and ecological recovery in Mau Forest complex, Kenya
AUTHORS:
James Mwangi Kinjanjui, Moses Karachi, Kennedy Nyambuti Ondimu
KEYWORDS:
Disturbance; Regeneration; Soil Seed Bank Germination; Nutrients
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Ecology,
Vol.3 No.6,
October
22,
2013
ABSTRACT: This study investigated natural ecological recovery in parts of
Western and Southwestern blocks of theMauForestcomplex that had experienced varied levels of disturbance. The extent and
speed of regeneration in the disturbed regions since the eviction of the setter
population were not known. This study thus now provides current baseline
data on plant distribution, germination of soil bank seeds, and soil nutrient
content. The number of tree species recorded at different levels of disturbance
were in increas- ing order: moderately disturbed (MDF) > undisturbed (UDF)
> heavy disturbed forest (HDF). Forest clearing reduced forest basal area
and forest stocking of big trees (dbh ≥40 cm)
in the HDF by more than 4 and 6 times, respectively, than those in UDF. Tree
importance values indicated a reduction in commercially valuable species in HDF.
Early colonizers and fire tolerant species were predominant in the HDF whereas
non-commercial species dominated MDF. Viable soil seed reserves decreased with
soil depth in all forests but content between 0 -20 cmsoil depth showed a potential to support regeneration.
Total N, organic C and available P decreased with increase in forest disturbance.
Overall, the disturbed sites showed a general potential for ecological recovery
and natural regeneration to UDF status.