Year 2026, Volume 72 Issue 2
| Year : | 2026 |
| Volume : | 72 |
| Issue : | 2 |
| Authors : | Doriana Bode XHULAJ; Enea MALAJ; Adelajda HALILI |
| Title : | BIODIVERSITY BENEATH THE CANOPY: UNDERSTANDING FOREST STRUCTURE INSIDE A PROTECTED AREA |
| Abstract : | The purpose of this study was to evaluate the tree species' diversity, richness, and composition at the Gjeneruka forest habitat, part of Divjakë-Karavasta National Park. Twenty circular plots with a radius of 11.28 meters (0.1 hectares) were created from the study area. The heterogeneity in the composition of the communities under study was investigated by computing a number of tree species composition indices, such as the Shannon index (H'), Evenness index (J'), species richness (DMn), the Simpson index (D), the Berger-Parker index (d), and the Clark-Evans (R). The results suggest for the presence of the representatives of 10 families, consisting of 13 genera and a total of 22 species, and 1662 individuals. The overall research region's Shannon index value (H'=2.24) indicates that a small number of species have dominated the forest structure across all 20 locations. There is a good level of diversity among the forest trees across the entire test surface, as indicated by the Simpson index (D) value of 0.84. There is a significant degree of biological diversity in the areas being studied, as indicated by the research region's overall representative Berger-Parker Index value of 0.32. Data regarding forest structure and tree composition contributes to the conservation of endangered and economically significant species. To conserve tree species, it is crucial to promote awareness of the potential ecological benefits that tree stands on agricultural lands may offer to the local community both within and outside the study area. |
| For citation : | Xhulaj (Bode), D., Malaj, E., Halili, A. (2026). Biodiversity beneath the canopy: Understanding forest structure inside a protected area. Agriculture and Forestry, 72 (2): 75-87. https://doi:10.17707/AgricultForest.72.2.06 |
| Keywords : | tree species, diversity, composition, forest structure, protected area |
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