Phytosociological analysis in disturbed zone of the Gatumba mining area, Ngororero district, Rwanda
Paper Details
Phytosociological analysis in disturbed zone of the Gatumba mining area, Ngororero district, Rwanda
Abstract
The Gatumba mining area is one among the zones disturbed by the mining activities in Ngororero district, west of Rwanda. The aim of the study was to investigate the plant community, to indentify plant species and describe the vegetation of the Gatumba mining area and to suggest species that can be used for rehabilitation of the disturbed area. The floristic data were analysed in accordance with the Braun-Blanquet procedures, Jaccard similarity index and Shannon index for the plant diversity analysis. A total of 35 families were recorded with 83 genera, and 103 species (31 monocotyledones, 68 dicotyledones, 1 gymnosperm and 3 pteridophytes). The most represented family was Poaceae with 19,6% species, followed by Asteraceae with 15% species. These two families are known to colonize disturbed areas and usually demonstrate adaptation to unfavorable conditions. The results showed that the vegetation was diversified and heterogeneous and four plant communities collectively made by a mixture of shrubby and grassy vegetation. The dominant species are annual, related to human activity. Indigenous species have disappeared in the area which demonstrates the negative impact of the mining and agricultural activity on the plant community of the area. The species Tithonia diversifolia, Sesbania sesban and Crotalaria dewildemaniana were found to be the most indicated for rehabilitation of the disturbed area.
Braun Blanquet J. 1934. Plant sociology. New York. Reprinted in 1966.
Byiringiro V, Biryabarema M. 2008. Geomorphologic Processes in Gatumba Mining Area, Butare. Etudes Rwandaises 1, 45-47.
FAOSTAT, 2007. Statistics by Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. URL:http://faostat.fao.org.
Fischer E, Killmann D. 2007: Illustrated field guide to the plants of Nyungwe National Park, Kigali, (ISBN 978.3.941326.00.2).
Fousseni F, Xiuhai Z, Chunyu Z, Kperkouma W, and Koffi A. 2010. Ecological and Numerical analyses of plant communities of the most conserved protected area in North-Togo. International Journal of Biodiversity and Conservation 2, 359-369.
Gillet F. 2000. La phytosociologie synusiale intégrée: guide méthodologique. Document du laboratoire d’écologie végétale et de phytosociologie, Neuchâtel : Université de Neuchâtel.
Gisenyi meteorological center. 2010. Annual Report of meteorological data. Kigali. Rwanda.
Institute for Security Studies. 2008. Report of Institute for Security Studies (ISS). Accessed date: 10/08/2010.
Jaccard P. 1908. Nouvelles recherches sur la distribution florale. Bulletin de la Société Vaudoise des sciences naturelles 44, 223-270.
Knops JMH, Tilman D, Haddad NM, Naeem S, Mitchell CE, Haarstad J, Ritchie ME, Howe KM, Reich PB, Siemann E, Groth J. 1999. Effects of plant species richness on invasion dynamics, disease outbreaks, insect abundances and diversity. Ecology Letter 2, 286–293. http://dx.doi.org/10.1046/j.1461-0248.1999.00083.x
Kovach WL. 1993. Multivariate techniques for biostratigraphical correlation. Journal of the Geological Society 150, 697-705. http://dx.doi.org/10.1144/gsjgs.150.4.0697
Minagri. 2012. Ensure a sustainable use of marshland, MINAGRI target, Kigali, Rwanda.
Minitere.2007. Third National Report of the Conven tion on Biological Diversity,Kigali, Rwanda.
Ndabaneze P, Muhongere C, Habarugira I. 2008: Sustainable Restitution/Recultivation of artisanal Tantalum Mining wastelands in Central Africa: Gatumba flora and vegetation study. Mining Wetland in central Africa. Etudes Rwandaises 1, 45-47.
REMA. 2009: Rwanda State of Environment and Outlook Report.Kigali, Rwanda
Shannon CE. 1948: A mathematical theory of communication. Bell System Technical Journal 27, 379-423 and 623-656. Accessed date: 12/10/2011.
Shu WS, Ye ZH, Zhang ZQ, Lan CY and Wong MH. 2005. Natural colonization of plants on five lead/zinc mine tailing in Southern China. Restoration Ecology 13, 49-60. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1526-100X.2005.00007.x
Troupin G. 1966. Etude Phytocénologique du Parc National de l’Akagera et Rwanda Oriental. Recherche d’une méthode d’analyse appropriée ả la végétation d’Afrique intertropicale. Tervuren: Belgique
Troupin G. 1978. Flore du Rwanda. Spermatophytes. Volume I. Musée royal de l’Afrique Centrale, Tervuren: Belgique
Troupin G. 1985. Flore du Rwanda, Spermatophytes. Volume III. Musée Royal de l’Afrique Centrale, Tervuren: Belgique.
Troupin G. 1988. Flore du Rwanda, Spermatophytes, volume IV. Musée Royal de l’Afrique Centrale, Tervuren: Belgique.
Van der Maarel E. 1975. The Braun-Blanquet approach in perspective. Plant Ecology 30, 213-219.
WRB. 2006. World Reference Base for soil resources. World Soil Resources Reports, 103, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, IUSS Working Group. Rome, Italy.
Ye M, Li JT, Tia SN, Hu M, Yi S, Liao B. 2008: Biogeochemical studies of metallophytes from copper-enriched sites along the Yangtze River, China. Environmental Geology 56, 1313-1322.
François Gakwerere1, Ildephonse Habarugira1*, Pontien Ndabaneze2 (2013), Phytosociological analysis in disturbed zone of the Gatumba mining area, Ngororero district, Rwanda; IJB, V3, N9, September, P142-155
https://innspub.net/phytosociological-analysis-in-disturbed-zone-of-the-gatumba-mining-area-ngororero-district-rwanda/
Copyright © 2013
By Authors and International
Network for Natural Sciences
(INNSPUB) https://innspub.net
This article is published under the terms of the
Creative Commons Attribution License 4.0