Evaluating Diversity, Structure, Regeneration Status, and Preferences of Woody Species Among Different Land Uses of Koore’s Agricultural Landscape, Southern Ethiopia

Conserving biodiversity is a challenge in terrestrial environments. Anthropogenic landscape with various land uses has a role in biodiversity conservation. Thus, this study aimed to analyze the diversity, stand structure, regeneration status, and preferences of woody species in Koore’s agricultural landscape, in Southern Ethiopia. Data were collected from 105 plots that randomly assigned to a stratified different land use types. The study found a total of 73 woody species across 33 families. The Fabaceae family was the dominant with 20.5% of the species, followed by Rosaceae (6.8%) and Myrtaceae (5.5%). Agroforestry demonstrated the highest value of Shannon diversity (H′) (4.04), evenness indices (E) (0.58), and good regeneration. About 19.2% of woody species recorded from farmland, grazing, and woodland showed poor regeneration. Acacia nigra , Acacia abyssinica , and Podocarpus falcatus that recorded without seedling and sapling are under risk of extinction. Agroforestry land use has been identified as a better land use type in promoting diversity and regeneration of woody species. Therefore, we recommended the promotion of agroforestry for woody species diversity conservation. Due emphasis should be given to save those woody species under the risk of extinction and low IVI values. The findings from this study are vital for effective ecological management.