BINDURA UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE EDUCATION FACULTY OF ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE DEPARTMENT RICHNESS AND DIVERSISTY OF WOODY AND HERBACEOUS SPECIES AT ASTRA CAMPUS, BINDURA UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE EDUCATION KUGEDERA TINASHE B1231342 A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE BACHELOR OF ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE NATURAL RESOURCES MANAGEMENT i DEDICATION I dedicate this research to my family, God bless you all for your support and sympathy. ii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I am grateful to everyone who contributed towards the success of this study. I am grateful to my research supervisor Mr. G. Chikorowondo for the commitment shown during the whole research process it was not easy but your sympathy encouraged me may God bless you. I would like to express my appreciation to my best friend Paul Kganyago for helping me during my data collection. I would also like to acknowledge the efforts and support of Mr Kundhlande for helping me on species identification. Thank you all. iii ABSTRACT Biodiversity assessment and monitoring is critical to effective ecosystem management. It helps to monitor changes which might affect the ecosystem processes and function. Therefore the study aimed to assess the richness and diversity of woody and herbaceous vegetation around Astra campus. A stratified random design was used with less, moderate and heavily disturbed areas being the strata. A Kruskal-Wallis test was used to test level of significance amongst the threes strata for abundance, richness and diversity. There was no significance difference in density (P>0.05, H=0.989) across strata. Diversity was also similar (P>0.05, H=2.34) across the strata. However, least disturbed areas recorded the highest diversity (Shannon H=2.01). Biodiversity monitoring must be a continuous operation in order to monitor disturbances which might hinder ecosystem function especially invasion and extinction of species. The study recommends for continuous monitoring of biodiversity in and around the campus. The authorities must improve on landscape management and use environmentally sound methods. iv DEDICATION ............................................................................................................................ i ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ....................................................................................................... iii LIST OF FIGURES PAGE .............................................................................................. vii LIST OF ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATION ................................................................. viii CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................ 1 1.1 Background to the study .................................................................................................. 1 1.2 Problem Statement ........................................................................................................... 1 1.3 Justification ...................................................................................................................... 2 1.4 Aim .................................................................................................................................. 2 1.5 Objective .......................................................................................................................... 2 1.6 Research Hypothesis ........................................................................................................ 2 CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW ............................................................................ 3 2.1Conservation of biodiversity ............................................................................................. 3 2.1What is a biodiversity inventory? ..................................................................................... 4 2.2The value of biodiversity inventory in monitoring ........................................................... 4 2.3 What is biodiversity ......................................................................................................... 6 2.4The importance of biodiversity ......................................................................................... 6 2.5Threats associated with biodiversity ................................................................................. 7 2.6 Impacts of invasive species .............................................................................................. 9 CHAPTER THREE: METHODOLOGY ................................................................................ 11 3.1 Study area....................................................................................................................... 11 Table 3.1 Showing materials and their use .......................................................................... 12 3.2 Methods.......................................................................................................................... 12 3.3.1Research design ....................................................................................................... 12 3.3.2Sampling design ....................................................................................................... 12 3.3.3Data collection method ............................................................................................ 12 3.4 Data analysis .............................................................................................................. 13 CHAPTER FOUR: RESULTS ................................................................................................ 14 4.1 Checklist of herbaceous species................................................................................. 14 CHAPTER FIVE: DISCUSSION ............................................................................................ 19 5.1 Species abundance ......................................................................................................... 19 5.2 Species richness ............................................................................................................. 19 5.3 Species diversity ............................................................................................................ 20 5.4 Invasive species ............................................................................................................. 20 6.1 Recommendations .......................................................................................................... 21 6.2 Conclusion ..................................................................................................................... 21 REFERENCES ........................................................................................................................ 22 v vi LIST OF FIGURES PAGE Fig 3.1 : Map of Astra Campus......................................................12 Fig 3.2 : Quadrat format................................................................14 Fig 3.2: Quadrat along a transect line...........................................14 Fig 4.1 : Mean abundance of herbaceous species..........................17 Fig 4.2 : Total abundance of herbaceous species...........................18 Fig 4.3: Total abundance of woody species..................................21 vii LIST OF ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATION FAO: Food and Agriculture Organisation UNEP: United Nations Environment Programme UNESCO: United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation viii ix CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION 1.1 Background to the study The inventorying and monitoring of biodiversity represents a major theme and high priority of the programme of ecosystem function (UNESCO, 1992). The concern is to estimate problems related to the species number and their distribution around the world. The problems associated with biodiversity loss are undetailed inventories around the world. Also, ignoring data lead to underestimation of biodiversity loss thus to prevent that, inventories have came into practice thus biodiversity data of a given ecosystem can be compiled (Cutko, 2009). More so, to fully promote conservation of biodiversity, periodic checklists or inventory should be conducted (Stork , 1997). Inventory or biodiversity data can be used as biodiversity monitoring tool. Inventories provide current state of ecosystem thus change can be noticed (UNESCO, 1992). Moreover inventories helps in identifying areas which need maintenance within an ecosystem. Inventories also helps in mapping and describing significant species in an ecosystem thereby giving light on how they can be protected to limit chances of extinction. Inventories have a scientific importance thus they assess ecosystem processes like production, decline, regeneration and response to disturbance (Hill, 2005). Species richness and diversity has been used as biodiversity monitoring tool in some conservation areas for instance parks and protected areas of Canada have been conducting biological inventory work in order to repair gaps within biological diversity (Barnes, 1989). Despite biodiversity loss in Zimbabwean ecosystems a little has been done to promote periodic inventory operations. Anthropogenic activities cause ecosystem change especially in most developing countries and therefore it is important to make periodic inventories to make planning easier (Wilson and Peter, 1988). 1.2 Problem Statement Astra campus might be a victim of ecological degradation as evidenced in proliferation of invasive alien species, plant monocultures and land degradation.