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<p>Agroforestry practices in tropical agricultural landscapes serve as critical refuges for woody species, yet the combines roles of ecological and socioeconomic drivers in shaping species composition and diversity remain underexplored in Ethiopia. This study examined woody species composition across home gardens, parklands, and woodlots, and quantified the influence of ecological and socioeconomic factors in northwestern Ethiopia. Using a multistage sampling approach, 90 households were selected across three landscapes, and 176 sample plots were surveyed. A total of 68 woody species belonging to 54 genera and 36 families were recorded, of which 72% were native and 28% exotic. Species composition differed significantly across agroforestry practices, landscapes, and agroecological zones (<i>p</i> &lt; 0.05). Species richness and diversity were highest in home gardens (6.81 ± 3.2 and 1.28 ± 0.49, respectively), intermediate in parklands (3.95 ± 2.2 and 0.93 ± 0.53), and lowest in woodlots (2.09 ± 1.4 and 0.24 ± 0.29) (<i>p</i> &lt; 0.001). Ecological gradients, particularly slope and altitude, positively influenced woody species richness and diversity in home gardens and woodlots, reflecting the role of microhabitat heterogeneity and elevational variation. Socioeconomic factors including access to financial credit, training on tree management, and media exposure showed strong positive associations with species richness and diversity (<i>p</i> &lt; 0.05), with the highest diversity observed when farmers combined credit access with conservation training. Conversely, increasing tropical livestock units negatively impacted species richness in parklands (<i>p</i> &lt; 0.02). These results highlight a synergistic “socio-ecological leverage effect,” whereby farmers′ management capacity interacts with ecological opportunity to shape woody species diversity. Our findings underscore the need for integrated conservation strategies that consider both ecological conditions and socioeconomic support, such as targeted microcredit programs, localized training, and knowledge-sharing platforms, to enhance biodiversity and sustain agroforestry practices in Ethiopian agricultural landscapes.</p>

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Environmental and socio-economic determinants of woody species composition and diversity across agroforestry practices in northwestern Ethiopia

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2025年11月24日

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  • Mequannt Marie,
  • Debissa Lemessa,
  • Ebrahim Esa,
  • Behailu Tadesse

摘要

Agroforestry practices in tropical agricultural landscapes serve as critical refuges for woody species, yet the combines roles of ecological and socioeconomic drivers in shaping species composition and diversity remain underexplored in Ethiopia. This study examined woody species composition across home gardens, parklands, and woodlots, and quantified the influence of ecological and socioeconomic factors in northwestern Ethiopia. Using a multistage sampling approach, 90 households were selected across three landscapes, and 176 sample plots were surveyed. A total of 68 woody species belonging to 54 genera and 36 families were recorded, of which 72% were native and 28% exotic. Species composition differed significantly across agroforestry practices, landscapes, and agroecological zones (p < 0.05). Species richness and diversity were highest in home gardens (6.81 ± 3.2 and 1.28 ± 0.49, respectively), intermediate in parklands (3.95 ± 2.2 and 0.93 ± 0.53), and lowest in woodlots (2.09 ± 1.4 and 0.24 ± 0.29) (p < 0.001). Ecological gradients, particularly slope and altitude, positively influenced woody species richness and diversity in home gardens and woodlots, reflecting the role of microhabitat heterogeneity and elevational variation. Socioeconomic factors including access to financial credit, training on tree management, and media exposure showed strong positive associations with species richness and diversity (p < 0.05), with the highest diversity observed when farmers combined credit access with conservation training. Conversely, increasing tropical livestock units negatively impacted species richness in parklands (p < 0.02). These results highlight a synergistic “socio-ecological leverage effect,” whereby farmers′ management capacity interacts with ecological opportunity to shape woody species diversity. Our findings underscore the need for integrated conservation strategies that consider both ecological conditions and socioeconomic support, such as targeted microcredit programs, localized training, and knowledge-sharing platforms, to enhance biodiversity and sustain agroforestry practices in Ethiopian agricultural landscapes.