Do herbaceous species functional groups have a uniform pattern along an elevation gradient? The case of a semi-arid savanna grasslands in Southern Ethiopia

Abstract

Knowledge of the total (overall) and individual herbaceous vegetation species relating to a distinctive site might help in the development of management strategies for a large number of threatened herbaceous species. This paper assesses the total and functional group herbaceous biomass, species richness, evenness, and diversity at four elevation classes in Borana rangelands of arid thorn bush savanna grasslands in Southern Ethiopia. At each elevation class, a grid of 20 20 m main plot was placed, and individual herbaceous species samples were collected randomly from five 1 m2 quadrants within the main plot. Using a single-factor analysis of variance (ANOVA), the effects of four elevation classes were considered on whole-vegetation, grasses, graminoid, and forb species diversity, evenness, richness, and biomass. A total of 49 herbaceous species were recorded. Of the total identified herbaceous species, three grass species and two graminoid species were found across all studied elevation classes, but the forb species did not overlap along the studied elevation classes. The total richness, diversity, and evenness of herbaceous species were considerable and significant along elevation classes. The grass, graminoid, and forb species richness, diversity, and evenness responded differently, and the functional group of species may be a good indicator of the community processes of grassland across elevation classes. The contribution of forb richness to the total richness was more pronounced than grass and graminoid, which indicates the shift of savanna grassland to grazing tolerant herbaceous species. The results suggest that the pooled data analysis of herbaceous vegetation community structure and biomass could obscure complicate trends of the functional group at elevation classes and for managing herbaceous species in savanna grasslands, the management models should focus on the functional group species composition, community structure, and biomass.