College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CAES)

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https://dissertations.mak.ac.ug/handle/20.500.12281/20

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Browsing College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CAES) by Subject "Abundance"
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    Colonization of native tree species beneath a teak plantation adjacent to Budongo forest in western Uganda
    (Makerere University, 2022-05-18) Mirembe, John
    The hypothesis that exotic tree plantations foster the regeneration of native woody species was tested through a study of tree species diversity, composition, and functional traits of native trees colonizing the Nyakafunjo teak plantation adjacent Budongo forest in Masindi district. The exotic teak plantation was compared with the natural forest for diversity, composition and functional traits of native woody species. Data were collected by laying 20 plots of 10 ×10 m for recording trees (≥ 5 cm dbh) in the teak plantation and the natural forest. All trees planted and regenerating in the established plots were measured for height and Diameter at breast height. To compare diversity and functional traits of colonizing woody species between the teak plantation and natural forest, separate generalized linear models were fitted with each diversity index and functional trait as a response and forest type as the explanatory factor. Non-metric multidimensional scaling ordination was used to assess species composition. A total of 493 trees across 61 species were recorded in the study. The family Moraceae was the most abundant with 96 individuals followed by apocynaceae (52 individuals), mimosoideae (35 individuals) and meliaceae (29 individuals). Alangianceae, flacourtiaceae, lecythidaceae, and passifloraceae all had one tree species encountered. Tree species abundance and richness were significantly higher in the natural forest than the teak plantation but tree evenness and Shannon did not show significant differences between the forest types. The species composition of colonizing native species was different between the teak plantation and natural forest. The functional traits of native tree species varied significantly between the forest types. As the dbh of the teak trees increases, the abundance of native trees regenerating in the teak plantation also increases and an increase in height of teak trees causes a decline in the abundance of regenerating native trees. These results support the concept that exotic tree plantations can foster the regeneration of native woody species, which increases their conservation value, especially when established in landscapes containing native seed sources.
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    Effects of Land Management Practices on Soil Macrofauna Abundance and Diversity
    (Makerere University, 2019-08-27) Nantale, Angella
    A field experiment was conducted at Makerere University Agricultural Research Institute Kabanyolo (MUARIK) situated in North Kyadondo Constituency, Wakiso district, central Uganda to evaluate the effect of land management practices on soil macro fauna abundance and diversity. The study compared soil macro fauna abundance and diversity under mulching, fallowing and herbicide application management practices. Each was sampled for macro fauna using the randomized quadrat method where three samples were taken from each treatment once a week for six weeks. Termites were typed to their caste that is the workers that forage for food and build the mounds and the highly specialized soldiers that defend the colonies against predators while earthworms were typed to their feeding and burrowing habits that is the epigeics, endogeics and anecics. The highest earthworm abundance was found in the mulch while the lowest earthworm abundance was in the herbicide treatment. On the other hand, the highest termite abundance was also found in the mulch while the lowest was in the fallow. Epigeics were the highest earthworm species in all the practices but they were higher in the mulches and the anecics were the lowest in all the practices. The worker termites were the highest overall but highest in the mulches while the soldier termites were highest in the fallow. A correlation analysis showed that sodium had a moderately positive strong relationship with both termite and earthworm abundance while some properties like %clay had a negative weak correlation with earthworm abundance but a positive weak correlation with termite abundance. In general, most of the soil properties had a weak correlation with earthworm and termite abundance and from the ANOVA results, only potassium was significantly different while for soil macro fauna abundance and diversity, all of them were significant apart from the epigeics, anecics and soldiers. It can be concluded that mulching is a good management practice to ensure favorable conditions for soil macro fauna that consequently result into improved soil organic matter hence increase in crop yields. On that note therefore, ecologically sound agricultural practices like mulching and fallowing that provide favorable micro climate and increase food quality and diversity should be adopted.
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    The influence of agricultural land use types on insect pollinators diversity and abundance in Seeta, Namuganga dub county,Mukono district
    (Makerere University, 2021-03-05) Omaala, Norman
    In Uganda, various cropping systems dominate the rural landscape. The consequences of the different cropping systems for insect pollinator diversity is not well known and yet it is important in land use planning that aims at simultaneously conserving biodiversity and improving agricultural productivity. The objective of this study was to assess the influence of the various cropping systems on the abundance and diversity of insect pollinators. Three dominant cropping patterns in Mukono district (maize / beans, coffee / banana and coffee / trees) were investigated. Sweep nets along line transects were used to capture insects. A one way ANOVA to ascertain the influence of the three cropping systems on the abundance and diversity of insect pollinator species was used. Flies were the most dominant (312) followed by bees (305), butterflies (300), wasps (207), and beetles (101). Coffee / banana cropping system was significantly more pollinator diverse as compared to maize/ beans and coffee / trees. Therefore Coffee / banana cropping system should be promoted if the objective is to preserve a diversity of insect pollinators.