ABC_Nyika National Park-Uledi_sampling event data

Study Extent

The Uledi- Dry lowland mixed woodland and riverine evergreen forest is situated between 10º 11´ 30 S, and 33º 45 ´15 E along North Rukuru River at an altitude ranging from 935-959m. The survey was conducted North edge to South towards the upper Mpero hills within the park along the North Rukuru river.

Sampling

2 strings (50m and 25m), a campus, GPS, measuring rod, D.B.H. meter Panga knife and a digital camera were used during the survey. A 25 m string and a 50 m string were used for measuring the size of each quadrant and interval of 100m between quadrants respectively. 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. One line transect was laid from North edge to South towards the upper Mpero hills within the park along the North Rukuru river about 3 km away. Georeference and elevation readings were taken from the centre of each quadrant in order to get fair or mean readings.

Method steps

1. One line transect was laid from North edge to South towards the upper Mpero hills within the park along the North Rukuru river about 3 km away. Quadrants made were each measured 25m by 25m at an interval of 100 meters between quadrants. Georeference and elevation readings were taken from the center 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 vascular plants have been identified up to kingdom level or family level.

1. Plantae
   rank: kingdom

Malawi is a landlocked country in southeast Africa. It is wholly within the tropics; from about 9°30S at its northernmost point to about 17°S at the southernmost tip.