Effects of plant morphology on vegetation resistance, resilience and tolerance in Mabira forest reserve

Abstract

A study was conducted in Mabira Forest Heserve between 1999 and 2001 to evaluate the J'csistance, tolerance and resilience
of vegetation to human trampling. Trampling experiments were conducted in live lanes measuring 0.5 x 1.5 m in a
Paspalum dominated grassland and a ]u.Hicia dominated secondary forest. Each lane •·cccived 25, 50, 200 and 500 tlasses.
Measurements were taltcn em each lane on two adjaccnt30 x SO em sub-plots. The cover of each vascular plant species was
cstimlltcd. The relative vegetation cove•· was computed as a measure of vegetation change. The hypothesis tested is that
plant morphology is responsible fo1· val'ialions in vegetation response to different levels of trampling stress. The JusticiaSynedrel/a dominated herbaceous vegetation was more resistant, tolerant and resilient to IJ·ampling than the Paspalum
dominated grassland. However there is a need to repeal the trampling experiment in situations with similar and or
different vegetation types befo1·e the method can be adopted as a standard protocol for studying vcgellltion response to
human trampling in forest recreation sites.