PRIMATE DIVERSITY, ABUNDANCE AND HABITAT ASSOCIATION IN UWEN FOREST PRIORITY AREA, WESTERN ETHIOPIA
Domaine:
environment and energyType de record:
paper
Créateur:
Ken
Éditeur:
Hôte:
ABSTRACT
The numbers of primate species within an ecosystem serves as a reliable indicator of that ecosystem's health; however, their distribution is not uniform across the planet. Therefore, examining their diversity and distribution can yield essential insights for conservation initiatives concerning this taxon. Consequently, the objective of this research was to explore the abundance, diversity, and distribution of primates in Uwen Forest, located in the Leka Dulecha district of East Wallaga , Oromia Regional State, in western Ethiopia. In the course of this investigation into primate diversity, abundance, and distribution, the researcher employed a line transects-based quantitative research design. According to the vegetation types identified during the reconnaissance survey, Uwen Forest in this study area was categorized into four distinct habitat types: riverine forest habitat, woodland forest habitat, bushland habitat, and grassland habitat. Sixteen transect lines were randomly allocated within these sample habitats to reduce sampling bias. Throughout the duration of this study, data collection was prioritized in Uwen Forest from August 2024 to February 2025, encompassing both the dry and wet seasons, which included the wet season (August to October) and the dry season (December to February). The data for this research was gathered through direct observations of the animals along the pre-established transect lines using the naked eye. Throughout the study period, a total of 234 individual primates were recorded during the dry season, while 268 individuals were noted in the wet season. These individuals were classified taxonomically into two families (Cercopithecidae and Colobinae) and four species (Papio anubis, Cercopithecus mitis boutourlinii, Chlorocebus aethiopis, and Colobus guereza). A comparison of species diversity across the four habitat types indicated that the riverine forest habitat supported the highest diversity of primate species during both the wet (H’=1.324) and dry (H’=1.395) seasons, followed by the woodland forest habitat (H’=1.273 during the wet season and H’=1.213 during the dry season). The notable primate species diversity and abundance found in the dense vegetation cover of riverine and woodland forest habitats underscore the significant importance of these habitats for both global and local conservation efforts concerning primates. Consequently, to maintain the status of primates in the study area, effective reforestation and forest conservation measures are essential.
Key words/phrases: distribution, habitat association, primate diversity, relative abundance, Uwen forest
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