Fencing improves the establishment and growth of Boswellia papyrifera (Del.) Hochst wildlings
Author(s)
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
Boswellia papyrifera (Del.) Hochst is a flagship species of semi-arid areas of the East African region with substantial economic, ecological and cultural values. However, its persistence is currently threatened by both anthropogenic and natural pressures. This calls for an immediate conservation action. Planting seedlings of B. papyrifera in natural habitats using nursery-grown seedlings from seed and cuttings has been little successful. Fencing of naturally regenerated seedlings (wildlings) established under the parent trees could be used as an alternative option. The objective of this study was to examine the effect of fencing on the seedling establishment and growth of B. papyrifera wildlings. The experiment was conducted using 36 plots in fenced and open conditions. The results showed that fencing significantly enhances the establishment and growth of B. papyrifera wildlings compared to the open areas. Fenced wildlings exhibited higher survival rates, increased height, greater leaf numbers, larger root collar diameters, larger leaf areas and higher leaf biomass compared to non-fenced wildlings. Therefore, the protection of B. papyrifera seedlings using a fencing intervention can improve the overall establishment and development of B. papyrifera seedlings, thereby contributing to the sustainable conservation and restoration of this valuable species.
Date Issued
2024-03-24
Date Acceptance
2024-02-11
Citation
Journal of Tropical Ecology, 2024, 40
ISSN
0266-4674
Publisher
Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Journal / Book Title
Journal of Tropical Ecology
Volume
40
Copyright Statement
© The Author(s), 2024. Published by Cambridge University Press© The Author(s), 2024. Published by Cambridge University Press This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution licence (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted re-use, distribution and reproduction, provided the original article is properly cited.
License URL
Publication Status
Published
Article Number
e9
Date Publish Online
2024-03-25