Vertical and Horizontal Vegetation Structure across Natural and Modified Habitat Types at Mount Kilimanjaro

• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0138822
• Publication Date: 2015-09-25T18:32:15Z
• Authors: Gemma Rutten; Andreas Ensslin; Andreas Hemp; Markus Fischer
• Keywords: Vegetation types; Elevation (ballistics); Enhanced vegetation index

In most habitats, vegetation provides the main structure of environment. This complexity can facilitate biodiversity and ecosystem services. Therefore, measures serve as indicators in management. However, many structural are laborious require expert knowledge. Here, we used consistent convenient to assess over an exceptionally broad elevation gradient 866–4550m above sea level at Mount Kilimanjaro, Tanzania. Additionally, compared (human)-modified including maize fields, traditionally managed home gardens, grasslands, commercial coffee farms logged burned forests with natural habitats along this gradient. We distinguished vertical horizontal account for habitat heterogeneity. Vertical (assessed number, width density layers, maximum canopy height, leaf area index cover) displayed a unimodal pattern, peaking intermediate elevations montane forests, whereas coefficient variation was lowest altitudes. Overall, consistently lower modified than types, inconsistently different depending on specific measure type. Our study shows how be assessed efficiently various types tropical mountain regions, suggest apply tool informing future service studies.