Understorey Seedling Bank in Forest Areas with a Differing Period of Recovery in Mabira Central Forest Reserve, South Central Uganda

Seedling banks are very important in forest regeneration following forest disturbances such as crop cultivation. In 2011 and 2013 the Uganda National Forestry Authority (NFA) evicted encroachers from parts of Mabira Central Forest Reserve that had been under crop cultivation for over 40 years. This gave an opportunity for the vegetation to recover. In this study, we assessed the recovery process based on seedling bank diversity, richness and density in three blocks differing in recovery time. Two disturbed blocks, the Western Block (WB) (abandoned by encroachers 1–3 years), and the Eastern Block (EB) (abandoned 4–5 years) before this study and a nearby undisturbed area (intact) were included in the study. We recorded 48 seedlings species; 37 in WB, 30 in EB and 27 in intact. Differences in species richness were not statistically significant among blocks (F_{2, 88} = 1.2420, p = 0.294). All seedling species found in the intact were found in the EB and WB. There were statistically significant differences in species diversity (Shannon–Wiener: F_{2, 88} = 5.354, p = 0.006), density (P < 0.001) and composition (ANOSIM; R = 0.55, p = 0.001) among blocks. Apart from Broussonetia papyrifera, other species contributing to the dissimilarity (Acalypha neptunica, Antiaris toxicaria, Blighia unijugata, Funtumia elastica were late succession species. Animal dispersed species dominated intact. Seed-regenerating species were found in both WB and EB, but re-sprouts were more common in EB. These results show that proximity to intact forest aids forest recovery, even for areas with long-term cultivation history.