Table 5 List of species in the soil seed banks (SSB, emerged seeds (n/m2)) and understory vegetation (USV, relative abundance (n/m2)) with their functional groups (FG) and life forms (LF) under the inside canopy (IC) and outside canopy (OC) of Acacia robusta (AR), Balanites aegyptiaca (BA), and Ziziphus spina-Christi (ZS) in semi-arid savanna of Ethiopia
Species name | AR | BA | ZS | FG | LF | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
IC | Â | OC | Â | IC | Â | OC | Â | IC | Â | OC | Â | |||
USV | SSB | USV | SSB | USV | SSB | USV | SSB | USV | SSB | USV | SSB | |||
Abutilon fruticosum | 3 | 2 | 1.5 | 0 | 2.8 | 0 | 2.2 | 0 | 1.8 | 1 | 1.5 | 0 | F | A |
Acacia mellifera | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | W | P |
Acacia ssp.(seedling) | 3 | 1 | 2.3 | 1 | 2 | 1.5 | 1.3 | 0 | 1.5 | 2.5 | 1 | 0 | W | P |
Acalypha fruticosum | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | F | A |
Acanthus emines | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3.7 | 0 | 6.5 | 0 | 2.2 | 0 | 2.3 | 0 | F | A |
Achyranthes aspera | 4.8 | 0 | 2.7 | 0 | 3.9 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 5.3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | F | A |
Adhotodas chimperiana | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | F | A |
Agaves isalana | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | F | P |
Aloe megalacantha | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | F | P |
Althernanthera pugens | 3.3 | 2 | 4.1 | 2.5 | 10.6 | 2 | 12.4 | 1 | 3.5 | 2.7 | 3.1 | 0 | F | A |
Amaranthus dubius | 0 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2.5 | 0 | 5 | 4.4 | 5.8 | 0 | 1 | F | A |
Amaranthus hypochondriacus | 2.3 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 5.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3.5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | F | A |
Argimon mexican | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | F | A |
Aristida adoensis | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 6 | 0 | G | A |
Aristida adscensionsis | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | G | A |
Asystacia schimperi | 11.5 | 0 | 6.7 | 0 | 11.1 | 0 | 4.8 | 0 | 4.1 | 0 | 2.8 | 0 | F | A |
Balanites ssp. (seedling) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | W | P |
Belpharis ciliaris | 0 | 8 | 1 | 5.8 | 1 | 2 | 1.70 | 6.5 | 0 | 8.7 | 0 | 0 | G | P |
Bothriochloa insulpta | 20.7 | 0 | 7.4 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 2 | 15 | 10 | 0 | 14.6 | 0 | G | P |
Brachiara comate | 0 | 26.5 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 5 | G | P |
Brachiaria eruciformis | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | G | P |
Chenopodium albrosioides | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2.5 | 1 | 0 | F | A |
Chloris radiata | 30 | 56.3 | 5.0 | 24.7 | 4.7 | 36.4 | 7.3 | 55.3 | 14.3 | 20.6 | 5.5 | 3.7 | G | P |
Commelina forskaolii | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3.3 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | F | A |
Commicarpus verticillatus | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | F | A |
Conchorus olitorius | 5 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2.3 | 0 | F | A |
Conyza stricta | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 2.9 | 0 | 2.3 | 0 | F | A |
Conyzya bonariensis | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | F | A |
Cynodon dactylon | 44.8 | 0 | 24 | 0 | 23.3 | 1 | 36.1 | 0 | 35.2 | 2 | 17.8 | 3.5 | G | P |
Cyperus obtusiflorus | 0 | 1.5 | 0 | 1.8 | 2.8 | 0 | 3.3 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 3.7 | 0 | F | A |
Dactyloctinium aegyptium | 12.6 | 0 | 4.5 | 15 | 7.9 | 13.5 | 6.7 | 9 | 15.1 | 28 | 5.8 | 4.5 | G | A |
Digitaria abyssinica | 19 | 15 | 23.5 | 4 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | G | A |
Digitaria rivae | 21 | 0 | 13 | 0 | 17.3 | 0 | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | G | A |
Digitaria velutina | 27.9 | 0 | 14.5 | 0 | 5.6 | 0 | 11.5 | 0 | 18 | 8 | 6.5 | 0 | G | A |
Digitaria verticellata | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | G | A |
Digitaria voltinosa | 65 | 12 | 12.5 | 0 | 7.7 | 0 | 5 | 7 | 10.3 | 25 | 9 | 3 | G | A |
Echinochloa colonum | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | G | P |
Eleusine indica | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | G | A |
Eleusine jaegeri | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 3.7 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 14.3 | 9.3 | 0 | 5 | G | A |
Eragrostis aspera | 12.7 | 20.6 | 7 | 5 | 7.4 | 5.3 | 7.9 | 23.5 | 15.1 | 23 | 10.8 | 1 | G | A |
Eragrostis cilianensis | 17.3 | 0 | 8.8 | 0 | 15 | 4 | 3 | 7.5 | 0 | 16 | 0 | 0 | G | A |
Eragrostis racemosa | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | G | A |
Eragrostis shweinfurthii | 0 | 32.6 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 10.3 | 0 | 25.6 | 0 | 18.8 | 0 | 9.3 | G | A |
Eragrostis superba | 30 | 9.5 | 3 | 2 | 9 | 13 | 9.5 | 14.5 | 17.2 | 15 | 12.5 | 5.6 | G | A |
Eragrostis velutina | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 15 | 4 | 11.5 | 0 | 13.8 | 0 | 8.5 | 0 | G | A |
Eriochloa nubica | 10 | 41 | 5.7 | 9 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 10 | 11.9 | 25.8 | 4.2 | 6.8 | G | A |
Euphorbia hirta | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2.5 | 0 | F | A |
Flaveria trinervia | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | F | A |
Galinsoga parviflora | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | F | A |
Glycine wightii | 0 | 0 | 2.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | W | P |
Grewia schweinfurthii | 2.3 | 0 | 1.6 | 0 | 2.0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | W | P |
Harpachne schimpri | 0 | 25.8 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4.5 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 5.8 | G | A |
Heliotropium cinerscens | 1 | 3 | 0 | 17 | 0 | 19.8 | 0 | 1 | 1.7 | 2 | 2.4 | 4 | F | A |
Hibiscus esculentus | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | F | A |
Hibiscus hildebrandtii | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1.7 | 0 | F | A |
Hibiscus micronthus | 2.8 | 3 | 2.3 | 1 | 3 | 1.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.8 | 0 | 1 | F | A |
Hyparrhenia rufa | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 75 | 0 | 0 | 0 | G | P |
Indigofera hochstetteri | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | F | P |
Indigofera spicata | 1 | 2 | 2.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | F | P |
Ipomoea ochracea | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | F | A |
Kalanchoe petitiana | 0 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 2.2 | 2.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | F | A |
Lantana camara | 2.1 | 2.4 | 1.3 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 4.2 | 2.6 | 1.7 | 1 | W | P |
Leucas martinicensis | 5.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4.33 | 0 | 3.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | F | A |
Leucas microphylla | 9 | 0 | 2.8 | 0 | 5.3 | 0 | 4.3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | F | A |
Leucas urticifolia | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 0 | F | A |
Linthonia nutans | 8.5 | 70 | 6 | 0 | 7.9 | 4 | 7.2 | 12.5 | 5 | 10 | 5 | 0 | G | P |
Nicanderia physalaides | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | F | A |
Ocimum basilicum | 2 | 0 | 2.8 | 0 | 6.2 | 0 | 4.6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.3 | 0 | F | A |
Ocimum lamifolium | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | F | A |
Opuntia ficus-indica | 1 | 0 | 1.6 | 0 | 2.2 | 0 | 2.3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | W | P |
Orobanche minor | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.67 | 0 | 0 | 0 | F | A |
Oxalis latifolia | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | F | A |
Panicum atrosanguineum | 7.2 | 0 | 6.7 | 0 | 8.1 | 0 | 5.5 | 28 | 14.4 | 0 | 8.8 | 0 | G | A |
Panicum coloratum | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | G | P |
Panicum hochstetteri | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | G | P |
Parthenium hysterophorus | 34.7 | 66.9 | 14.6 | 35.7 | 10.5 | 29.3 | 11.2 | 46.4 | 23.0 | 79.5 | 17.2 | 24 | F | A |
Prosopis juliflora | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | W | P |
Salvia schimperi | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | F | P |
Setaria superba | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | G | A |
Setaria verticellata | 16.4 | 8.5 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 17.9 | 12 | 3 | 0 | G | A |
Sida aculata | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | F | A |
Sida spinosa | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | F | A |
Solanum dubius | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | F | A |
Solanumincanum | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2.7 | 1 | 4.7 | 0 | F | A |
Solanum indicum | 3.7 | 0 | 1.7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1.5 | 1.8 | 0 | F | A |
Solanum nigrum | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | F | A |
Solanum somalensis | 2.7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.8 | 1.5 | 7 | 0 | F | P |
Sporobolus pyramidalis | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | G | P |
Tagetes minuta | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | F | A |
Tephrosia interrupta | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2.5 | 0 | F | P |
Tetrapogon cenchriforms | 0 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 12 | 6 | 3 | G | P |
Themeda triandra | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | G | P |
Tragus berteronianus | 13.9 | 0 | 9.3 | 0 | 7.8 | 0 | 14.2 | 24.5 | 22.5 | 0 | 15.3 | 0 | G | A |
Tragus racemosus | 22.8 | 0 | 15.8 | 0 | 8.2 | 0 | 12.4 | 0 | 25 | 0 | 7.3 | 0 | G | A |
Tribulus terrestris | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | F | A |
Urochloa nubica | 25 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | G | A |
Urochloa panicoides | 7.6 | 10 | 7.2 | 1.5 | 4.3 | 14 | 8.3 | 13 | 15.4 | 14.6 | 8.1 | 4.5 | G | A |
Urochloa trichopus | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | G | A |
Urticas imensis | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | F | A |
Verbesin aencelioides | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.5 | 1 | 3.6 | 2.3 | 1 | 0 | F | A |
Withania somnifera | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3.7 | 0 | 0 | 7.7 | 2.2 | 0 | 2 | F | A |
Xanthium spinosum | 3.9 | 0 | 3.3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 6.1 | 1.5 | 10.4 | 4 | F | A |
Ziziphus ssp. (seedling) | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | W | P |
Number of species | ||||||||||||||
Grass species | 24 | 13 | 23 | 14 | 22 | 17 | 21 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 19 | 14 | – | – |
Annual grasses | 16 | 9 | 16 | 10 | 16 | 10 | 14 | 13 | 15 | 11 | 13 | 10 | – | – |
Perennial grasses | 8 | 4 | 7 | 4 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 5 | 9 | 6 | 4 | – | – |
Herbaceous forbs | 27 | 15 | 22 | 12 | 23 | 12 | 24 | 8 | 24 | 23 | 23 | 10 | – | – |
Woody species seedlings | 5 | 2 | 6 | 2 | 5 | 2 | 8 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 1 | – | – |
Total | 56 | 30 | 51 | 28 | 50 | 31 | 53 | 28 | 48 | 45 | 44 | 25 | – | – |