Abstract:
Forest ecosystems provide livelihood opportunities such as medicines,
fuelwood, timber, cash income and a reliable supply of groundwater. However,
encroachment of forests by human settlement adjacent to conservation areas is
associated with overharvesting of forest resources and uncontrolled livestock
grazing leading to the destruction and disappearance of useful plant species in
forest ecosystems which can significantly affect both biodiversity integrity and
ecological functioning. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the
distribution, conservation status, and effects of threats on the relative
abundance of Warburgia ugandensis in Katimok Forest Reserve, Baringo
County in Kenya. Data collection was done using transect lines and quadrat
methods. The data on the relative abundance of Warburgia ugandensis and
indicators of threat were collected from quadrats and sub-quadrats located at
50 m, 350 m and 650 m from the forest edge. In addition, other measures of
tree growth such as diameter at breast height (DBH) and heights of mature trees
in the study blocks were made. One-way ANOVA was used to analyse the
relative abundance of Warburgia ugandensis, indicators of threat and growth
parameters. Pearson correlation results revealed a significant relationship
between debarked and mature Warburgia ugandensis (r = 0.95; df=2,
P=0.019), grazing intensities, and number of seedlings/saplings (r = 0.96; df=2,
P=0.017) and other indicators of threats (stumps, defoliated leaves, broken
twigs/branches) and the abundance of Warburgia ugandensis (r = 0.97; df=2,
p=0.015). Therefore, there is an urgent need to map out the distribution of
Warburgia ugandensis in the whole country to know where it is abundant in
order to draw a national conservation and management plan for the tree species
