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| Title: | Diversity and distribution of bryophytes in three forest types of Bwindi Impenetratable Forest National Park, Uganda |
| Authors: | Tusiime, Felly Mugizi |
| Keywords: | Bryophytes
Forests |
| Issue Date: | 7-Dec-2008 |
| Abstract: | An ecological study was done on the bryophytes of Bwindi Impenetrable forest National Park (BINP), Uganda. The study determined bryophyte species richness, their distribution along the altitudinal range; and along the trails and stream sides; as well as the bryophyte communities in the forest. The mature mixed (Buhoma), tropical evergreen (Kitahurira) and montane bamboo forest types were studied and in each a trail, and streamsides sampled. Geographical Positioning System
(GPS) was used to record altitude while the abundance was measured using visual estimates of percentage cover of the bryophyes. A total of l3l bryophyte species were collected from the forest; nine of which were new records of Uganda (Aerobryopsis capensis, Lejeunea aloba, Leucodon sciuroides, Leucoloma holstii,
Leucoloma zuluense, Plagiochila flabellata, Rhynchostegiella holstii, Tayloria isleana & Wijkia jungneri); five were new to East Africa (Aerobryidium subpiligerum, Neckera valentiniana, Pilotrichella welwitschii, Plagiochilla salvadorica & Vesicularia oreadelphus) and one (Eurrhynchium meridionale) new to Tropical Africa. Mosses (86 species) were most frequent
followed by foliose (40 species) and thalloid (5 species) hepatics.
Bryophytes were generally negatively correlated with altitude except for the thalloid hepatics that increased with increasing altitude. The occurrence of more bryophytes along the streamsides than
along the disturbed trails was attributed to their hydrophilic nature. The increase of the species along Kanyamisambya trail in Kitahurira as compared to those obtained from the natural and supposedly undisturbed forest revealed that human disturbance is significant in the diversity of bryophytes. The tropical evergreen forest (Kitahurira) was the most diverse followed by the mature
mixed (Buhoma), and bamboo forests respectively. In spite of the poor diversity, Bamboo forest is important for hosting 17.6% of the collected bryophytes exclusively; including the new record for
Africa. This could be attributed to the fact that some species prefer open illuminated habitats and are tolerant to drought. It was revealed that with more sampling more species can be encountered
in BINP. A large amount of work in areas of inventory, ecology, taxonomy, genetics and physiology of bryophytes of Uganda awaits to be done. |
| Description: | A Masters thesis accessible from the Library |
| URI: | http://hdl.handle.net/123456789/224 |
| Appears in Collections: | Theses & Dissertations (Science)
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Files in This Item:
| File |
Description |
Size | Format |
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| tusiime-botany-masters.pdf | Bryophytes | 6689Kb | Adobe PDF | View/Open |
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