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Ethiopian Journal of Biodiversity - EthJBD
Vol 6 - No 2
Medicinal plants comprise a diverse group of species used traditionally for the alleviating and treatment of human diseases, and they have played an essential role in healthcare systems for thousands of years worldwide. Brucea antidysenterica is a well-known medicinal plant in Ethiopia, widely used to treat dysentery and other ailments. However, overexploitation of medicinal plants threatens their long-term survival, highlighting the urgent need for effective conservation strategies. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the effects of two storage temperatures (+4 °C and −10 °C) under different storage durations on the seed viability of B.antidysenterica. Germination tests were conducted at regular intervals to assess seed longevity during storage. Multivariate analysis indicated no statistically significant reduction in germination percentage (P < 0.05) over the storage period. Seeds maintained high viability, with germination percentages exceeding 80% after nine months of storage, including under sub-zero conditions. In parallel, a comprehensive examination of prior findings was conducted to document the medicinal value of the species, using scientific databases such as PubMed, Science Direct, and Google Scholar, with emphasis on studies from Ethiopia published from 2006 -2024. The synthesis of scientific evidence revealed that various parts of the plant are extensively used to treat dysentery, diarrhea, malaria, skin diseases, and other ailments, indicating the importance of conserving the species. The experimental results indicated that B.antidysenterica seeds exhibit orthodox storage behavior. However, further studies are recommended to determine the optimal combination of seed moisture content and storage temperature for long-term conservation with certainty.
Keywords: Germination percentage, Germination tests, Orthodox seeds, Storage, Viability
Barley (Hordeum vulgare) is one of conserved crop under cold storage in the Ethiopian Gene Bank, as it grows across a wide range of agro-ecological zones. This study utilized 33 barley accessions for nutrient content analysis to determine and compare the nutritional values of barley grown in different agro-ecological zones. Sample preparation and nutritional analysis were conducted following standard procedures defined by the Association of Official Analytical Chemists (AOAC). Descriptive statistical analysis and paired t-tests were employed to analyze the data. The findings revealed significant mean differences in the percentage of crude protein, moisture, and total carbohydrates content between barley sourced from Ethiopia’s highlands and midlands. The results showed that the highest average crude protein (11.96%) and total carbohydrates (76.1%) were found in barley from midland agro-ecologies. Conversely, midland barley exhibited the lowest average moisture content (7.68%) and average crude fat content (1.86%). Both zones yielded an equal average mineral ash content of 2.4%.The study concluded that as altitude increases, the nutritional values of barley significantly decreased for all nutritional values except moisture and crude fat content. Based on the finding that higher altitude correlates with lower protein and carbohydrates but higher moisture and crude fat, it is recommended to prioritize barley accessions from midland agro-ecologies for breeding and food security programs aimed at maximizing crude protein and total carbohydrate content.
Key Words: Carbohydrates, Crude fat, Crude protein, Highlands, Midland,
The Yayo Coffee Biosphere Reserve (YCBR) in southwestern Ethiopia, a UNESCO-recognized site, harbors globally significant wild Arabica coffee genetic resources, biodiversity, and vital ecosystem services. Despite its economic and ecological importance, the reserve faces pressures from deforestation, agricultural expansion, and limited conservation funding. This study quantified the economic value of YCBR’s ecosystem services and assessed community willingness to pay (WTP) and willingness to work (WTW) for its conservation. A cross-sectional survey of 300 respondents across four kebeles employed the Contingent Valuation Method to elicit monetary and labor contributions. Provisioning services, notably freshwater (87%), medicinal plants (74%), and food resources (63%), were most recognized, alongside substantial awareness of regulating, cultural, and supporting services. The mean annual WTP was ETB 435 (USD 3.82), while 62% expressed WTW, with tree planting as the preferred volunteer activity. Logistic regression identified income, education, gender, awareness, and association membership as significant predictors of WTP, while WTW was more likely among men, residents closer to the reserve, and those with lower formal education. Policy recommendations emphasized stricter protection laws (72%), greater community involvement (65%), and ecotourism development (59%). Findings highlighted the potential for hybrid conservation strategies integrating modest financial contributions with structured, roledifferentiated volunteer programs. Coupling community engagement with legal enforcement, participatory governance, and sustainable livelihood initiatives, particularly coffee-linked ecotourism can enhance both ecological integrity and local well-being. This integrated approach offers a practical pathway to securing the long-term conservation of YBR while fostering community ownership and socio-economic resilience.
Key Words: Contingent Valuation Method, Payment for Ecosystem Services, Rural livelihoods, Wild Arabica coffee
Smallholder chickpea producers should implement effective and efficient postharvest seed handling practices to guarantee that their seeds are high quality, competitive in domestic and international markets. However, there is limited information on current postharvest handling practices applied by chickpea farmers in central Ethiopia. Therefore, this study assessed chickpea seed processing, storage, and management practices through a field survey across five major chickpea-growing districts, using multi-stage and purposive sampling to engage 203 farmers. Results revealed that core processing operations threshing, cleaning, drying, and moisture testing were entirely guided by traditional knowledge. The majority of farmers (79.3%) used fumigant chemical treatments to protect stored seed from insect pests and diseases. More than 90% stored seed in polypropylene or reused fertilizer bags, with or without inner plastic lining. Farmers identified key storage challenges as vulnerability to fluctuating weather conditions and both qualitative and quantitative seed losses caused by insect pests and rodents. Regarding management practices, 86.7% of farmers stored grain and seed separately after processing, while 74.4% cleaned storage facilities before loading newly produced seed. Nearly all farmers relied on visual observation for seed and storage inspection. These findings highlight that continued dependence on traditional practices is insufficient to address existing gaps in seed quality and quantity. Adopting improved, evidence based postharvest handling methods is essential for smallholder chickpea producers to remain competitive in both domestic and international markets. Hence, farmers should adopt improved seed processing, storage technologies, and extension support to enhance chickpea seed quality and market competitiveness.
Key Words: Drying and trashing, farmers’ survey, quality loss, seed cleaning, seed inspection
Soil seed banks are critical for the natural regeneration of degraded dryland forests. This study provides the first comprehensive assessment of the soil seed bank in the Argo Forest, Bena-Tsemay District, Southern Ethiopia. The study quantified the composition, density, and vertical distribution of the soil seed bank and evaluated its potential for spontaneous vegetation recovery across four land-use types (grassland, woodland, bushland, and bare land) and three soil depths (0–3 cm, 3–6 cm, and 6–9 cm). A total of 84 composite soil samples were collected and subjected to an eight-month greenhouse germination assay. The total seed bank density was 8,232 seedlings m⁻². The outcome showed a distinct vertical gradient: species richness and seedling density peaked in the top layer (0–3 cm) and sharply declined with depth. Using Jaccard’s and Sørensen’s indices, floral similarity was lowest between woodland and bare land (0.16) and highest between grassland and bushland (0.48). Importantly, Analysis of variance, ANOVA revealed a significant difference (p < 0.001) between the species composition of the established above-ground flora and the soil seed bank. This stark difference suggests that the in-situ seed bank’s ability to support the restoration of the original woody ecosystem is severely limited. As a result, it concludes that passive restoration relying solely on the soil seed bank is unlikely to be sufficient. Active interventions, specifically enrichment planting of native woody species and the implementation of stringent controlled grazing regimes, are essential to accelerate ecological restoration in this dry Afromontane forest.
Key Words: Density, Ecological restoration, herbaceous dominance, Seedlings, Vertical seed distribution,
The Horn of Africa, which includes desert rangelands, coastal ecosystems, Rift Valley lakes, and Afromontane forests, is a biologically rich and climate-vulnerable region. The loss of biodiversity and ecological services is being accelerated by climate change, land degradation, overexploitation, and governance issues. Forest restoration, rangeland rehabilitation, watershed management, and community-based conservation are examples of ecosystem-based approaches (EbA) that offer integrated solutions for climate adaptation and biodiversity protection. In order to find strategies to improve the science policy interface in the Horn of Africa, this systematic review synthesized peer-reviewed literature from Web of Science, Scopus, Google Scholar, and PubMed, as well as grey literature from Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), CBD, IPCC, United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), EBI, and World Resources Institute (WRI) covering publications from 2012 to 2025. Inclusion criteria targeted English-language studies on ecosystem-based approaches in the Horn of Africa, while studies lacking relevance or methodological rigor were excluded. Data were thematically synthesized across ecosystem contexts, threats, interventions, science-policy mechanisms, and policy frameworks. This review assesses EbA programs, examines ecological and sociopolitical contexts, and analyzes obstacles such as data gaps, capacity constraints, fragmented governance, land tenure insecurity, and the impacts of conflict. A framework that emphasizes cross-border cooperation, indigenous knowledge integration, adaptive management, and decentralized governance mechanisms is proposed based on lessons learned from local and global experiences. Ecosystems and communities can be made more resilient to climate change by strengthening the science-policy interaction through capacity building, participatory governance, and targeted investments.
Key Words: Biodiversity, climate change adaptation, ecosystem-based approaches, Horn of Africa, science policy integration