Ecology and Development Series No. 10, 2003 - ZEF

TABLE OF CONTENTS1 GENERAL INTRODUCTION...................................................................................11.1 Background and problem statement ..................................................................11.2 Aims and scope of the study ................................................................................61.3 Structure of the dissertation ................................................................................72 STATE OF KNOWLEDGE OF THE FOREST VEGETATION, BIOLOGYAND THE CONSERVATION STATUS OF COFFEA ARABICA L. ....................92.1 The forest vegetation of southwest Ethiopia ......................................................92.2 Taxonomy, genetic diversity and reproductive biology of Coffea arabica....152.2.1 Taxonomy.....................................................................................................152.2.2 Genetic diversity...........................................................................................162.2.3 Reproductive biology ...................................................................................182.3 Geographical distribution of wild populations of Coffea arabica..................192.4 Approaches in plant genetic conservation........................................................202.4.1 Ex situ conservation methods .......................................................................212.4.2 In situ conservation methods ........................................................................242.4.3 Complementary conservation strategies.......................................................263 DESCRIPTION OF THE STUDY AREA AND SAMPLING DESIGN ..............283.1 The study area.....................................................................................................283.1.1 Geographic location......................................................................................283.1.2 Geology and soils .........................................................................................293.1.3 Topography and drainage systems ...............................................................293.1.4 Climate .........................................................................................................293.1.5 Human population and means of subsistence...............................................313.1.6 Land tenure and land-use types ....................................................................313.2 Sampling design and location of plots ..............................................................324 FLORISTIC ANALYSIS OF THE UNDISTURBED FOREST VEGETATIONAT YAYU: A POTENTIAL GENE RESERVE FOR COFFEA ARABICA ........354.1 Introduction ........................................................................................................354.2 Materials and Methods ......................................................................................374.2.1 The data set...................................................................................................374.2.2 Classification and indicator species analysis................................................384.2.3 Ordination of vegetation data .......................................................................394.2.4 Environmental variables and community type relationships........................404.3 Results..................................................................................................................414.3.1 Floristic composition ....................................................................................414.3.2 Classification and indicator species..............................................................464.3.3 Ordination.....................................................................................................524.3.4 Relationships between environmental variables and community type.........56