Coffee Forest Biodiversity and Implications for Multi-Site in situ Conservation Approach in the Afromontane Rainforests of Ethiopia

Arabica coffee (Coffea arabica) originates in the montane forests of southwest and southeast Ethiopia. Recently these forests have come under continuous threat due to anthropogenic factors. A study was conducted to assess plant species and coffee genetic diversity in five forest fragments. A total of 651 species that belong to 118 families were recorded from five forest fragments. Among the species recorded, about 5% are endemic plants. Of the total species recorded about 50% of the species occur in only one of the forests indicating the uniqueness of the forests. Diversity of Arabica coffee was assessed using ISSR and AFLP markers system. These analyses showed a complex pattern of genotype distribution; whereby individuals from some regions spread all over the trees generated whereas others form their own groups. Moreover, higher diversity within populations of C. arabica was also evidenced with unique genotypes from each forest. These results from both floristic and genetic diversity suggest the need for multi-site in situ conservation approach to capturing the diversity and uniqueness found in different wild coffee regions. In addition to the conservation effort, advanced genomic tools should be applied for in-depth diversity study and trait discovery for conservation and sustainable use of Arabica coffee genetic resources in montane rainforests of Ethiopia.