In vitro pollen germination provides a novel approach and strategy to accelerate genetic improvement of tree breeding. Studies about pollen germination and tube growth of Chinese fir are limited. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the effects of sucrose, boric acid, pH, and time of incubation on pollen germination and tube growth. Pollen from 9 clones were selected. In vitro germination was performed in basic media as control, and in different concentrations of sucrose (0, 10 and 15%), boric acid (0.01, 0.1 and 0.2%), and pH levels (4.5, 5 and 7). Pollen germination rates and tube growth were recorded periodically at 1, 12, 24, and 48 h. The results showed that sucrose imposes significant effects on pollen germination and tube growth. The effects are most obvious at concentration of 15%. Boric acid significantly promoted germination and tube growth. The promotion was most notable in lower concentration of 0.01%. The media adjusted to pH 7.0 boosted the germination and pollen tube growth. The optimum time of incubation was 24 and 48 h for pollen germination and tube growth, respectively. Sucrose, pH, and time of incubation were positively correlated, whereas boric acid negatively correlated with pollen germination and tube growth. This study provided experimental evidences for selecting viable pollens for Chinese fir breeding.

Understanding about land cover and land use (LCLU) changes, as well as the associated impacts on ecosystem service values (ESV) is extremely important in the management of coastal ecosystems globally. Thus, this study assessed temporal LCLU changes, the underlying socioeconomic drivers and dynamics of ESV in the coastal zone of Tanzania. The LCLU data for 2000 and 2010 were from the Globe Land 30 mapping products at 30-meter spatial resolution developed by National Geomatics Center of China, while 2016 images were produced from Landsat 8. Classification of images was done from Landsat TM/ETM+ for 2000, 2010, and 2016 years complemented with MODIS and Normalized Difference Vegetation Index time series, and Chinese HJ imagery. LCLU categories and ecosystem service coefficients were used to compute ESV on each LCLU categories. Between 2000 and 2016, farmland, shrub land, waterbody, and artificial surface expanded while forest, grazing land, and wetlands declined. The ESV increased on farmland, shrub land, and waterbody, while the decline was found on forest, grazing land, and wetlands. The ESV and the total population ratios declined from $80.4, 63.8, and $46.0 million in 2000, 2010, and 2016, respectively. Perfect positive correlation was on LCLU change and ESV, population and households in crop farming, livestock keeping, and bioenergy use. Population pressure and socioeconomic activities have amplified the degradation of the coastal ecosystems. If not abetted, there is a danger of further impairments on these ecosystems. We advise to regulate population and socioeconomic activities to avoid more negative impacts of coastal LCLU change.

Aims: Understanding the role played by forest diversity to supply non-timber forest products for income and food supplements of households is important in forest management and human life. This study was conducted to investigate the role played by non-timber forest products and their implications on income and food supplements in Mufindi District in Tanzania. Methodology: A cross section field survey research methodology was used in this study. Six representative villages in three wards; Rugemba, Igowole and Sadan located within 30 Km to forest reserves were selected. Interviews were conducted to 180 respondents from the three wards. One focus group from each village was conducted while District agricultural officers and village leaders formed a key informant’s category. Quantitative data were analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Science Software and Microsoft excel while memos were produced from qualitative data and used to narrate discussion. Taxonomic plants classification was carried out at Sokoine University of Agriculture botanic laboratory. Results: It was found that non-timber forest products are mostly consumed directly by the people who collect them as a useful dietary supplement, especially when food is scarce. To a lesser extent, they are also sold for cash, but the market for them is badly organized in terms of poor transport and lack of storage facilities, so they are not an important source of income except for people who live near important roads. It was discovered that deforestation and climate change are reducing the potential supply of these products. Conclusions: Given the importance of the sustainable exploitation of non-timber forest products as an incentive for forest conservation, the market for non-timber forest products should be rationalized and expanded. Improvement of the use and role of wild foods should be planned and implemented within a larger scheme of sustainable forest management.

Aim: Estimation of carbon in the forests located in the coast of tropics is needed to support conservation and forest monitoring strategies. This study aimed at quantifying carbon stocks in the regenerating tree species of intact forest (IFS), disturbed by agriculture (ADS) and by livestock grazing sites (LDS) to understand the importance of coastal trees in carbon stocking as part of mitigating climate change impacts. Methodology: Thirty-three independent measurements of tree carbon stocks were carried out on 33 tree families found in the coastal zone of Tanzania. The vegetation was inventoried by means of a floristic survey of the woody component across intact, crop agriculture and livestock disturbed land use sites. The biomass was then estimated by employing the existing allometric equations for tropical forests. Thereafter, the above ground stored carbon was quantified on the sampled tree species found in each land uses. Results: The results showed that there were significant variations (p ≤ .05) of carbon stock values across species and land uses. The average carbon (Kg/ha) stored in the regenerated adult trees was 1200 in IFS, 600 in ADS, 400 in LDS. Saplings had 0.43 in LDS, 0.07 in ADS and 0.01 in IFS. Indeed, seedlings had the average of 0.41 in IFS, 0.22 in ADS and 0.05 in LDS. Conclusion: These findings show that crop-agriculture highly affects the regeneration potential of trees, biomass accumulation and carbon stock than livestock grazing. To restore carbon storage potential of coastal tropical forests, crop-agriculture must be discouraged, while livestock grazing can be integrated in forest management. Indeed, further studies are required to gauge the integration levels of any anthropogenic activities, so that the natural capacity of coastal tropical forests to regenerate and stock carbon is not comprised further.

This study presents comparative initial information about canonical correlation across forest stand parameters, diversity indices and soil properties in undisturbed forest sites (IFS), agriculture disturbed sites (ADS) and livestock disturbed sites (DGS). Data were collected from Uzigua Forest Reserve in Tanzania. Forty- seven sample plots of 25 m × 25 m were randomly established on IFS, ADS and DGS from which tree inventory data and 141 soil samples were drawn. Data were subjected into Canoco windows 4.5 software for multivariate analyses and comparisons across IFS, ADS and DGS. The correlation of tree stand parameters (TSP) and soil physical properties (SPP) were F=1.207, p=0.242 in IFS, F=2.400, p=0.012 in ADS and F=0.529, p=0.938 in DGS. For soluble bases and TSP were F=2.448, p=0.018 in IFS, F=0.687, p=0.790 in ADS and F=0.743, p=0.808 in DGS. Carbon, nitrogen and potassium (CNP) and TSP were F=0.816, p=0.572 in IFS, F=0.687, p=0.790 in ADS and F=0.070, p=0.020 in DGS. The SPP and Shannon indices had F=1.103, p<0.388 in IFS, F=0.520, p=0.714 in ADS and F=0.932, p=0.444 in DGS. The SPP and Independent Value Index (IVI) were F=0.042, p=0.996 in IFS, F=0.819, p=0.620 in ADS and F=0.633, p=0.724 in DGS. Soluble bases and equitability were F=0.119, p=0.968 in IFS, F=0.001, p=0.001 in ADS and F=0.011, p=0.001 in DGS. The CNP and IVI had F=4.246, p=0.014 in IFS, F=2.729, p=0.018 in ADS and F=2.007, p=0.060 in DGS. The mean higher canonical correlation in the non-disturbed sites indicates that crop-agriculture and livestock grazing affect the interplays between forest vegetation and soil properties. Therefore, human activity disturbs the structure and soil properties.