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The Effects of Fires on Plants and Wildlife Species Diversity and Soil Physical and Chemical Properties at Aberdare Ranges, Kenya

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The Effects of Fires on Plants and Wildlife Species Diversity and Soil Physical and Chemical Properties at Aberdare Ranges, Kenya THE EFFECTS OF FIRES ON PLANTS AND WILDLIFE SPECIES DIVERSITY AND SOIL PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL PROPERTIES AT ABERDARE RANGES, KENYA WANGARI FAITH NJERI BSC HONS (2011) A THESIS SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF SCIENCE IN BIOLOGY OF CONSERVATION SCHOOL OF BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES, THE UNIVERSITY OF NAIROBI. 2016 DECLARATION This thesis is my original work and has not been presented for a degree in any other University Wangari Faith Njeri Signature........................................................ Date................................................................. This thesis has been submitted for examination with our approval as the University Supervisors Dr. J. M. Githaiga School of Biological Sciences University of Nairobi Signature........................................................ Date................................................................. Mr. Aggrey K. Mwala Department Of Land Resource Management & Agricultural Technology University Of Nairobi Signature........................................................ Date................................................................. ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENT I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Dr. Githaiga and Mr. Mwala, my supervisors, for the great support and guidance they accorded me throughout this research project, without which this research project would not have been successful. I would also like to thank Kenya Forest Service staff for allowing me to carry out my research work at the Aberdares forest, offering me accommodation at the station and for providing security personnel to guard me during my visits to the forest. I would also like to thank Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology, for enabling me pursue my Masters degree by awarding me a full scholarship for the two years of study. I am very grateful to my dear mother and my entire family for the great support they offered me, both financially and morally. I say thank you very much for your support and pressure to finish my thesis. Last and most important, I would like to thank the Almighty God, for this far that He has brought me. iii DEDICATION This work is dedicated to my dear mother Ms. Alice Wangari Mungai. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS DECLARATION ............................................................................................................................ ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ............................................................................................................. iv DEDICATION ............................................................................................................................... iii TABLE OF CONTENTS .............................................................................................................. xii LIST OF FIGURES .................................................................................................................... viiii LIST OF TABLES ....................................................................................................................... ixx LIST OF APPENDICES ................................................................................................................. x LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS ........................................................................................................ xi ABSTRACT ................................................................................................................................ xiiii CHAPTER ONE ............................................................................................................................. 1 1.0Introduction and literature review .............................................................................................. 1 1.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................................................. 1 1.2 Literature review ..................................................................................................................................... 2 1.2.1 Effects of fires on plants .............................................................................................................. 4 1.2.2 Effects of fires on animals ........................................................................................................... 6 1.2.3 Effects of fires on soil physical and chemical properties ............................................................. 8 1.3 Justification ........................................................................................................................................... 11 1.4 Objectives: ............................................................................................................................................ 12 1.5 Hypotheses ............................................................................................................................................ 12 CHAPTER TWO .......................................................................................................................... 13 2.0Materials and methods ............................................................................................................. 13 2.1 Study area.............................................................................................................................................. 13 2.1.1 Geographic location ................................................................................................................... 13 v 2.1.2. Climate of Aberdare Ranges ..................................................................................................... 15 2.1.3 Vegetation in Aberdare Ranges ................................................................................................. 16 2.1.4 Animals in Aberdare Ranges ..................................................................................................... 17 2.1.5 Soils in Aberdare Ranges ........................................................................................................... 18 2.2 Methods................................................................................................................................................. 18 2.2.1 Woody vegetation sampling ....................................................................................................... 19 2.2.2 Herbaceous plant sampling……………………………………………………………………………………….…………..19 2.2.3 Wildlife census ........................................................................................................................... 19 2.1.4 Bird count ................................................................................................................................... 20 2.1.5 Soil sampling ............................................................................................................................. 20 2.3 Data analysis ......................................................................................................................................... 22 CHAPTER THREE ...................................................................................................................... 24 3.0Results…….. ............................................................................................................................ 24 3.1Woody Species diversity ........................................................................................................................ 24 3.2 Woody species community structure analysis ...................................................................................... 24 3.2.1 DBH………………………………………………………………………………………………25 3.2.2 Height……………………………………………………………………………………………..25 3.2.3 Canopy……………………………………………………………………………………………27 3.3 Herbaceous species diversity ................................................................................................................ 28 3.4 Herbaceous species structural analysis ................................................................................................. 29 3.4.1 Cover………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..30 3.4.2 Number of individuals…………………………………………………………………………………….………………………..31 3.4.3 Height……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….32 3.5 Animals ................................................................................................................................................. 32 3.5.1 Mammals species diversity ........................................................................................................ 33 3.6 Birds ...................................................................................................................................................... 34 3.7 Soil properties ....................................................................................................................................... 35 3.7.1 pH ............................................................................................................................................... 35 3.7.2 Nitrogen ..................................................................................................................................... 36 3.7.3 Organic Carbon .......................................................................................................................... 38 vi 3.7.4 Potassium ................................................................................................................................... 40 3.7.5 Phosphorous ..............................................................................................................................
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