The aim of the study was to compare glade and
forest-glade edge plant community attributes for man-made, upper and lower
natural glades. Two plots were set up in twelve glades at 2.5, 12.5 m and three
plots in thirteen glades at 2.5, 12.5 and 22.5 m depending on the size of the
glade. The results showed that plants total abundance, percentage basal cover,
species richness and species diversity for upper and lower natural glades
differed significantly p < 0.05 and p < 0.01 respectively and species
diversity for man-made glades p < 0.001. Plant species abundance, richness
and diversity were highest at the forest-glade edge and decreased towards the
glade interior. Plant species composition of the three glades types differed
significantly (MRPP: T = -4.51, p
< 0.001 and A = 0.17). Grasses’ total abundance and species richness and
forbs species diversity differed significantly for man-made glades p < 0.01.
For upper natural glades, grasses species richness was highly significant p
< 0.001 while for forbs species richness and diversity were significant P <
0.01. Lower natural glades grasses and forbs’ total abundance, species richness
and species diversity differed significantly p < 0.01 and p < 0.001
respectively. Growth forms in the lower natural glades were associated with the
forest-glade edge or glade interior χ2 = 15.95, df = 4, p < 0.01. Five species (Eleusinejaegeri, Heterogoncontortus, Sennamimisoides, Digitariascalarum, Clutiaabyssinica) were habitat indicators for disturbed areas, wet humid
grey/black clay soils for upper natural glades and three (Solanumincanum, Sennadidymobotrya, and Pennistemmezianum, were indicators of
overgrazed areas and black clay soils for man-made glades. In conclusion,plant
species abundance, richness and diversity were highest at the forest-glade edge
and decreased towards the glade interior, while plant species composition
differed significantly between the three-glade types. The plant growth form for
lower natural glades was associated with forest-glade edge and glade interior.
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