Study area
Kotu forest is located in Delanta district, South Wollo Zonal Administration of the Amhara National Regional State of Ethiopia (Fig. 1). It is located at a distance of 499 km north of Addis Ababa. Kotu forest geographically lies between 1130’45 ” N to 1135’45”N latitude and 3911’ 50” E to 39 14’10” E longitude (Fig. 1). The total area of the forest is 1374 ha (Table 1) with an altitude ranging from 2771- 2987 m asl. The study area is geologically characterized by extensive escarpment plateaus, hills with small mountainous ridges and gorges. Cambisols, vertiosols and leptosoils are the dominant soil types in the area (DWANRDO, 2016). The mean average temperature of the study area is 130C with maximum temperatureof 19.80C and with annual mean minimum temperature of 6.80c (Ethiopian National Meterological Agency (ENMA), 2017). The study area is characterized by bimodal rainfall distribution patterns; with a long rainy season from June to October and a minor rainy season from March to May. It receives the highest rainfall (75-80%) during the long rainy season (ENMA, 2017) and 20-25% rainfall during the short rain season. The area comprises five dominant habitat types namely; grassland, wooded grassland, natural forest (dry evergreen Afromontane forest), plantation forest and bushland. Acacia abysinica, Acacia salingna , Acacia decurrens , Olea europaea , and Juniperous procera are among the dominate tree species in the study area (DWANRDO, 2016).