Abstract

Applied GIS in Research Projects at the National University Rwanda
Track: Environmental Management
Author(s): Elias Nyandwi

In the tropical mountainous rainforests, the forest canopy structure is highly correlated with local topography, but the relationships with canopy vascular epiphyte - one of its unique biodiversity richness which is poorly described - is yet to be established. This study aimed to model the distribution of canopy vascular epiphyte diversity in the Nyungwe National Park of Rwanda. Canopy vascular epiphyte distributions were mapped by applying a logistic regression equation relating presence/absence data to the parameters of surface shape. The results indicated that there is a significant impact of terrain elevation and geomorphic shape of the land surface (terrain shape index) on vascular epiphyte occurrence. Based on the most accurate logistic model assessed by the residual deviance information, the Akaike Information Criterion and the area under the ROC curve, the probability of vascular epiphytes to occur was predicted at 75 % level of accuracy. That is in line with the role of elevation and landform to determine communities and site suitability.

Elias Nyandwi
GIS and Remote Sensing Centre, National University of Rwanda
P.O. Box 212
Huye , Huye -
Rwanda
Phone: +250 0865 3825
E-mail: enyandwi@nur.ac.rw