Effects of Locations On-and Off-Epigeal Termitaria on Vegetation Lifeforms in Katolo Sub-Location of Kisumu County, Kenya

Abstract

Epigeal termitaria host richer vegetation assemblages ascribed partly to their elevated nutrients levels in savannah ecosystems. However, elaborate quantitative description of how abundance of various vegetation lifeforms (trees, shrubs, lianas and grass) vary with on-mound and off-mound locations has not been clearly studied. Therefore, the paper in hand endeavored to find out the influence of on-mound and off-mound locations on vegetation lifeforms abundance in Katolo Sub-Location of Kisumu County, Kenya. Termite mounds population in the study area was not known. Therefore, cross sectional descriptive research design was adopted. Using saturated sampling, a total of sixty accessible mounds of at least 0.11m in basal radius and corresponding off-mound plots were selected for the study. Number of trees, shrubs and lianas was arrived at by visual counting and recording while grass population was approximated by use of a quadrat. One way ANOVA was employed to determine significant difference in means of vegetation lifeforms abundance based on location on and off-mound. The results showed that location on-mound and off-mound significantly (p≤0.05) influenced all vegetation lifeforms with all except grass being more abundant on termite mounds. The study recommends conservation of termite mounds in order to boost abundance of vegetation lifeforms within the study area.