ABC_Lisau Saddle Forest Reserve transect sampling_eventdata

Study Extent

The Lisau saddle evergreen forest is located in Chiradzulu District South of Malawi along the bottom age of Chiradzulu mountain adjacent to Chipande hills in the western foot of the mountain at an altitude of 1193 – 1232M. 15o41’57”S, 35o09’06”E. The forest is bordered by rural settlements. It has a 5% of its total land area, vegetation type is of mixed evergreen forest, it is rich in plant species some of which are protected. The reserve is defined by being on Saddle between Chiradzulu Mountain and Chipande hills.

Sampling

50 meters measuring tape, a campus, GPS, measuring rod, D.B.H. meter Panga knife and a digital camera were used during the survey. A 50 meter measuring tape was used for measuring both the size of each quadrant and interval of 50m between quadrants. A campus was used for positioning the right direction of the transect, measuring rod was used for measuring the tree height, D.B.H. meter used to measure tree diameter, Panga knife was used to clear the way in thick forest and the digital camera was used to take photographs of the vegetation. A line transects was made from South South West direction of Lisau Saddle at an elevation of 1232m, latitude 15º41’57”S and Longitude 35º09’06”E. towards the direction of Chipande Hill. Quadrants made were each measured 10m by 10m at an interval of 50m between quadrants. Georeference and elevation readings were taken from the centre of each quadrant in order to get fair or mean readings.

Method steps

1. 50 meters measuring tape, a campus, GPS, measuring rod, D.B.H. meter Panga knife and a digital camera were used during the survey. A 50 meter measuring tape was used for measuring both the size of each quadrant and interval of 50m between quadrants. A campus was used for positioning the right direction of the transect, measuring rod was used for measuring the tree height, D.B.H. meter used to measure tree diameter, Panga knife was used to clear the way in thick forest and the digital camera was used to take photographs of the vegetation. A line transects was made from South South West direction of Lisau Saddle at an elevation of 1232m, latitude 15º41’57”S and Longitude 35º09’06”E. towards the direction of Chipande Hill. Quadrants made were each measured 10m by 10m at an interval of 50m between quadrants. Georeference and elevation readings were taken from the centre of each quadrant in order to get fair or mean readings. The data was recorded on printed sheets and was captured electronically using Microsoft office excel program, data was analysed using excel tools to determine coverage percentages, species population and also other data control measures. The recorded georeferenced data was in degree minutes and seconds, and was converted into decimal degrees using LatLong.net convertor tool.

All recorded plants were identified to family level.

1. Tracheophyta
   rank: phylum

Chiradzulu Mountain is located approximately 20 km to the north-east of Blantyre, Malawi's main commercial centre. The administrative district of Chiradzulu in southern Malawi was named after this mountain. Chiradzulu Peak is at the eastern end of the mountain, with a quite thickly wooded saddle between it and Lisau ridge to the west.