10.5061/DRYAD.Q573N5THV
Acheampong, Eric Boateng
0000-0003-3084-2025
University of Padova
Manu, Gordon
0000-0002-6584-0807
TU Dresden
Asante, Winston Adams
Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology
Kyere, Boateng
Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology
Dataset from plant survey in the KNUST Botanic Garden
Dryad
dataset
2021
FOS: Natural sciences
2021-03-23T00:00:00Z
2021-03-23T00:00:00Z
en
44533 bytes
2
CC0 1.0 Universal (CC0 1.0) Public Domain Dedication
This dataset represents the raw data collected for a study of plant
composition and diversity in a12.9 ha moist semi-deciduous forest in the
urban landcape of Kumasi, the city capital of the Ashanti Region of Ghana.
Since 1960, the forest ecosytem has been gazetted and managed as a botanic
garden, known as the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology
(KNUST) Botanic Garden, to preserve its rich flora for environmental
education, research and recreation. The KNUST Botanic Garden has therefore
remained untouched, despite progressive land cover change or developmental
activities (settlements and building facilities) that characterizes the
KNUST campus within which the garden is located. The dataset was
generated from a field survey conducted in December 2019 to to gather
relevant information on plant parameters (species, dbh, height) from two
distinct microsites (upland and inundated) of the garden. This dataset was
first anlysed to generate results that permitted the writing of a master
thesis. The robust methods and quality of data permitted subsequent use
of the results for developing of a manuscript. This manuscript which is
entiled "The Role of Urban Tropical Botanic Gardens in Biodiversity
Conservation: An Example from the KNUST Botanic Garden in Kumasi,
Ghana" has been accepted for publication in Biotropica.
The data was collected in two distinct microsites, dry upland and
periodically flooded (inundated) microsites of the forest; the distinction
was established by examining relevant factors such as topographic
gradient, drainage conditions and flood channels during a reconnaissance
survey. Three main plots, measuring 50×50 m each were randomly laid at
each microsite for enumeration of adult plants (diameter at breast height,
dbh > 5 cm). Five 2×2 m subplots were further laid from the center
and corners of each main plot for enumeration of seedlings (dbh ≤ 5 cm and
height < 1.5 m). Plant identification was made possible by physical
observation and study of identification features such as crown shape, tree
bole, bark texture and slash exudates, leaves and flowers. The dbh of all
adult plants were measured with a diameter tape. Nikon Forestry Pro II
laser hypsometer was used to measure the tree heights in meters.
Information from this survey (species name, dbh, height, quantity) were
organized in excel and pulled together to generate this dataset.
The dataset contains seven columns as described below, including the data
on the plant paramters (species name, dbh, height, quantity): Forest
layer: The “Forest layer” represents the different plant layers, which is
either “Adult” plant or “Seedling”. Microsite: The column labelled
“Microsite” denotes the microsite (“Upland” or “Inundated”) from which the
different adult plants or seedlings were recorded. Plot No.: This stands
for the plot number for the various adult plants or plot number for the
quadrats and seedlings recorded in them. The “Quadrat No”: This contains
the numbers of quadrat for the enumerated seedlings. The “Species” column
holds the names for the individual adult plants or seedlings of different
species . The column “dbh” and “Height” respectively represent the
diameter at breast heights in centimetres (cm) and heights in meters (m)
for the individuals of specific adult plant species. The “Quantity”
column contains the number of individuals for specific seedling species.
When using the dataset, the “Filter” feature in Excel can easily be used
to narrow down to the specific data. For examples: (a) the number
individual stems of specific "Adult" plant "Species",
say Elaeis guineensis with their "dbh" and "Height"
that were recorded in a main plot, say "Plot No." 1 at the
upland microsite (i.e. 4 stems) or inundated microsite (i.e. 33 stems);
(b) to the number or "Quantity"of seedlings for a specific
"Species", say Baphia nitida recorded in a particular
"Quadrat No." of a particular "Plot No." say quadrat
2 of plot 1 in the inundated microsite (i.e. 3 seedlings) or quadrat 3 of
plot 2 in the upland microsite (i.e. 2 seedlings). Note: The “Quadrat
No” and “Quantity” columns shows have no data entries for rows with
"Adult" plants as these are for only seedlings. Similarly the
colums "dbh" and "Height" contain data for only rows
with "Adult" plants.