Author(s)

Lutumba Suika Achille¹, Kebin Zhang^1*, Kambale Muhesi Eloge², Christian Jonathan Anona Kouassi¹, Mbangilwa Mukombe Michel³

¹College of Soil and Water Conservation, and Desertification Combating, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, China.
²Institut Supérieur d’Etudes Agronomiques, Vétérinaires et Forestières de Butembo, Butembo, Democratic Republic of Congo.
³Key Laboratory of Sustainable Forest Ecosystem Management, Ministry of Education, School of Forestry, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, China.

The aim of our study is to highlight the spatial structure of the trees and to determine its influence on the natural regeneration of the Kalikuku dense forest, with a view of its optimal conservation and enhancement. Data collection was done by measuring diameter at breast height along 10 plots of 0.5 ha in size. In analyzing these data, the Dajoz test was used to determine the horizontal spatial distribution pattern of the two most abundant tree species in the forest (Piptadeniastrum africanum and Ocotea usambarensis). The χ² test was used to compare the frequency distribution of diameter classes for the two species tested. To estimate the difference between the number of seedlings in aggregate versus non-aggregate areas, the Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used. In addition, the equability index was used to test the preponderance of proportions between diameter classes. Finally, the natural regeneration index was evaluated.

Spatial Distribution, Natural Regeneration, Seedlings, Diameter Class

Achille, L. , Zhang, K. , Eloge, K. , Kouassi, C. and Michel, M. (2021) Influence of Spatial Distribution on the Regeneration of Piptadeniastrum africanum and Ocotea usambaernsis in Kalikuku, Lubero, North Kivu, Democratic Republic of Congo. Open Journal of Ecology, 11, 527-539. doi: 10.4236/oje.2021.117034.