The Impact of Grazing on Plant Natural Regeneration in Northern Slopes of Mount Kilimanjaro, Tanzania
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Date
2015
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Scientific Research
Abstract
Livestock grazing is considered to be of great ecological importance in terrestrial ecosystems if
sustained at acceptable levels. Overgrazing has ecological ramifications which lead to degradation
of the ecosystem. This has become a problem in many parts of Tanzania. A study was conducted in
Northen Slopes of Mount Kilimajaro in order to examine the impact of grazing on natural regeneration
of the grazed vegetation. This paper is guided by the hypothesis that the species richness,
species diversity and density of regenerants vary across grazing intensities. The study area was
divided into four zones as per grazing intensity namely heavily grazed areas, moderately grazed,
least grazed and ungrazed areas. Ten rectangular quadrats of 20 m × 25 m were established in
each zone, making a total of 40 quadrats in the entire study area. A stratified random sampling
procedure was used in locating quadrats in each zone of grazing intensity whereby two subquadrats
of 2 m × 5 m were nested in bigger quadrats. Natural regeneration was assessed in terms of
species diversity and density of seedlings, saplings and poles. Results indicate that species regeneration
varied among areas with different grazing intensity. The variations of seedlings and
saplings density among areas with different grazing intensity were statistically significant. The
species diversity of regenerants differed significantly among areas with different grazing intensity.
Keeping the grazing intensity at low and moderate levels will stimulate more plant growth and
diversity as opposed to heavy grazing which will lead to vegetation retrogression.
Description
Keywords
Impact of Grazing, Vegetation Ecology, Mount Kilimanjaro
Citation
Kikoti, I.A. and Mligo, C., 2015. The Impact of Grazing on Plant Natural Regeneration in Northern Slopes of Mount Kilimanjaro, Tanzania. Open Journal of Ecology, 5(06), p.266.