Walia Special Edition on the Bale Mountains (2011) - Zoologische ...
Walia Special Edition on the Bale Mountains (2011) - Zoologische ...
Walia Special Edition on the Bale Mountains (2011) - Zoologische ...
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o<strong>the</strong>r, and class N from O, because too few vegetati<strong>on</strong> samples were available for at least <strong>on</strong>e<br />
class within each combinati<strong>on</strong>, . Based <strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong> entire dataset, significant differences were observed<br />
between habitats in <strong>the</strong> frequencies of <strong>the</strong> three substrates (Χ = 149.4, p < 0.001, n = 4104), and<br />
32<br />
<strong>the</strong> degree of vegetati<strong>on</strong> cover (Χ = 128.5, p < 0.001, n = 4104). Vegetati<strong>on</strong> height also differed<br />
16<br />
between habitats, after accounting for differences in species compositi<strong>on</strong> (Χ = 7020.8, p < 0.001,<br />
255<br />
n = 19,040). Different land cover classes dominated at different altitudes. Figure 2 illustrates<br />
<strong>the</strong> distance dendrogram created from <strong>the</strong> spectral characteristics of each class. In all pair-wise<br />
comparis<strong>on</strong>s between clusters for which adequate sample sizes (n > 40) were available, clusters<br />
differed significantly from each o<strong>the</strong>r in at least <strong>on</strong>e of <strong>the</strong> following characteristics: substrate, cover<br />
and height (Figure 3, Figure 4 and Figure 5 respectively), and species compositi<strong>on</strong> (Table 4).<br />
Table 3. Dominant and characteristic species of each land cover class.<br />
Abbreviati<strong>on</strong>s: AA - Alchemilla abyssinica, AH - A. haumanni, AP - A. pedata, AT - Artemisia<br />
afra, CC - Carduus camaecephalus, CM - Carex m<strong>on</strong>ostachya, EA - Eriger<strong>on</strong> alpinus, EP - Euryops<br />
prostratus, ER - Erica sp., GR - grasses, HC - Helichrysum citrispinum, HD - Hebenstretia dentata,<br />
HG - H. gofense, HR - Haplocarpha rueppellii, HS - H. splendidum, KF - Kniphofia foliosa, LI -<br />
lichens, LR - Lobelia rhynchopetalum, MO - mosses, PA - Plantago afra, RA - Ranunculus sp., SM<br />
- Salvia merjame, TM - Trifolium sp., TY - Thymus sp., US - Urtica simense.<br />
Classes Species (% occurrence)<br />
D & E: Lava flows HS (6.6), ER (1.5), EP (8.0), GR (25.5)<br />
F: Bare rock and Helichrysum HC (7.6), AH (2.7), AA (17.3), LR (0.6)<br />
G: Sparse Helichrysum HG (16.7), HC (7.6), HS (6.0), AA (17.3), LR (0.5)<br />
H: Dense Helichrysum HC (4.9), HS (14.3), AA (15.8), LR (1.0)<br />
I: Soliflucti<strong>on</strong> soil EP( 6.1), HG (6.3), AA (19.6), HC (4.4), HR (2.7)<br />
J: Mima mound AA (14.6), HC (3.4), RA (1.2), TM (2.9)<br />
K, L & M: Grazed Erica moorland GR (29.5), ER (9.8) TY (2.7)<br />
N & O: Helichrysum grassland GR (30.1), HS (6.3), HC (4.2), EP (7.3)<br />
P: Sedge swamp CM (4.0), RA (1.5), AA (14.7), HR (3.6)<br />
q: Mesa edge/wetland AT (13.2), AP (4.9), CM (1.8), HR (3.2), KF (3.5), CC (1.2)<br />
R: Bushy grassland AT (12.2), KF (4.4), AA (14.8), SM (3.4), AH (2.2)<br />
S: Rocky grassland AT (8.1), KF (2.0), HC (3.7)<br />
T: Rocky Helichrysum grassland GR (30.0), HS (2.4), HC (3.3), KF (1.5)<br />
U: Alchemilla pasture AA (23.6), AP (5.7), CC (1.3), SM (3.5)<br />
V: Grass pasture GR (31.0), AA (18.0), CC (1.6), SM (4.9)<br />
W: Drainage lines AP (12.6), CM (1.1), HR (4.0), RA (2.3)<br />
Land cover class descripti<strong>on</strong>s<br />
Each land cover class is described below, and <strong>the</strong>ir dominant and characteristic plant species are<br />
listed in Table 3. Figure 1 displays <strong>the</strong> map of land cover classes. Table 5 shows substrate and<br />
vegetati<strong>on</strong> height characteristic of each land cover class or cluster, and also lists <strong>the</strong> ratio of shrubs<br />
to ground cover to illustrate <strong>the</strong> vegetati<strong>on</strong> structure.<br />
A. Shaded arboreal hea<strong>the</strong>r slopes and lakes<br />
Class A has low reflectance in all bands, ei<strong>the</strong>r through low illuminati<strong>on</strong> (i.e. steep slopes facing<br />
north west), or through absorpti<strong>on</strong> of light by arboreal vegetati<strong>on</strong> and deep water bodies. It has <strong>the</strong><br />
sec<strong>on</strong>d highest mean slope (16°) and <strong>the</strong> lowest illuminati<strong>on</strong>, Table 2.<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>Walia</str<strong>on</strong>g>-<str<strong>on</strong>g>Special</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Editi<strong>on</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>Bale</strong> <strong>Mountains</strong> 105