| dc.description.abstract | This study was carried out at IL N'gwesi Community Conservancy in
Mukogodo division of Laikipia District, between January and August 2001 and
in September 2006. The overall objective of the study was to establish plant
species diversity, herbaceous layer standing crop yield and large herbivore
population changes at IL N'gwesi Community Conservancy. Herbaceous
vegetation sampling was done in four different sites namely; open bushland,
wetland, riverine and community grazing area using a square quadrat
measuring 0.25m2. Trees and shrubs were sampled using belt transects in
the above four study sites. Harvest method was used in estimation of
herbaceous layer standing crop yield. Herbivores were counted using road
count sample method.
Trees and shrubs density ranged between 1000+/-84.3 plants/ha estimated in
the riverine and 560+/_84.3plants/ha 'estimated in the open bushland habitat
and there was no significant difference among the four study sites. The mean
monthly herbaceous layer density ranqed between 90+/-13.13/m2 estimated in
the bushland and 43+/-22.73/m2 estimated in the community grazing area and
there was no sIgnificant di.fference among the four study sites. The highest .
mean monthly .herbaceous layer standing crop yield was estimated in the
wetland while community grazing area had the lowest and there was a
significant difference among the four habitats. The highest mean monthly
standing crop yield was recorded in April while the lowest was realized in
June. The wet period had a mean monthly standing crop yield of
190.91+/-15.79g/m2 while in the dry period it was 109.69~8.8g/m2 and there
was a significant difference between the periods. The highest mean monthly
large herbivores population density estimated at 11.9+/-3.8/km2 was noticed in
the riverine while open bushland habitat had the lowest estimate of
3.1+/-0.5/km2 and there was a significant difference among the habitats.
These densities were pooled for dikdik, elephant, .gerenuk, giraffe, impala,
warthog and waterbuck. The study recommends that pasture management in
..the community grazing area should be improved; for instance through
reducing grazing stock. | en |
