SPATIAL DISTRIBUTION OF THE INVASIVE PLANT VERNONANTHURA POLYANTHES ACROSS LAND COVER TYPES OF CHIKUKWA COMMUNITY IN CHIMANIMANI DISTRICT, ZIMBABWE

Abstract

Understanding species spatial distribution and invasiveness is vital in assessing its potential impacts to the ecosystem and livelihoods of communities affected. Due to climate change, invasion by alien woody species particularly, in mountain ranges bordering Zimbabwe and Mozambique, is increasing with potential impacts indicating significant loss of biodiversity on affected areas. The distribution of the invasive plant Vernonanthura polyanthes is poorly documented in eastern highlands of Zimbabwe, an area important for food production and endemic plants and animals. This study mapped the spatial distribution of V. polyanthes and predicted its invasion hotspots across various land cover types of Chikukwa, Ward 10, Chimanimani district of Zimbabwe. Chikukwa being in proximity to the Zimbabwe-Mozambique boarder, V. polyanthes is rapidly spreading into different land covers of Chikukwa thereby affecting livelihood of this community. Supervised land cover classification was used to develop the land cover types. Vegetation attributes (species abundance, diversity, evenness, height and diameter at breast height) were assessed on 30 sampling plots which were randomly selected across the land cover categories. The Normalised Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) was used for vegetation assessments and predict invasion hotspots for V. polyanthes. This study shows that forest and shrub land had higher vegetation diversity compared to other land covers. The V. polyanthes formed the most densely populated patches, and 26.3% of Chikukwa is regarded as its hotspot areas. Intervention strategies in Chikukwa are therefore recommended based on the identified hotspots for V. polyanthes.