Wetland Ecosystem: Plant Species Diversity, Services, Degradation Drivers, and Community Perception in Sinana District, Oromia Region, Southeast Ethiopia

Abstract

Wetlands are a vital source of biodiversity and ecosystem services. The study investigated the plant species diversity and assessed the perception of the ecosystem services of the area and drivers of wetland degradation in Sinana district, Southeast Ethiopia. Vegetation inventory, household surveys, focused group discussions, and key informant interviews were employed to gather information. A total of 45 sample plots laid along transacts were inventoried. A plot size of 5 m × 5 m (25 m2) and 1 m × 1 m (1 m2) nested within the major plot was used for shrubs and herbs, respectively. A total of 137 households were surveyed to collect socioeconomic data. The study identified 20 plant species belonging to 14 families. Family Cyperaceae was dominant within the studied wetland. The Shannon diversity (H=1.15) indicates that the wetland has low vegetation diversity with an uneven distribution (E=0.385) of vegetation. A total of 20 ecosystem services thought to be underprovisioning, regulating, and cultural services were identified. According to plaintiffs, major provision services are grazing livestock (77.4%), irrigation (76.6%), and harvesting of grass for fodder (68.6%). Important drivers of wetland degradation are a shortage of cropland (70.8%), lack of awareness (69.3%), upland land degradation (65.7%), and increasing population (62%). The main driver, a shortage of cropland, was the key driver, followed by a lack of awareness and upland land degradation. Therefore, the result heightened that the studied wetland is under serious degradation due to high human pressure associated with population growth and climate change. Thus, an appropriate wetland management strategy must be designed.