Plant communities as indicators of anthropogenic disturbance on a peri-urban tropical wetland of Lutembe Bay wetland system, Uganda

Wetland degradation linked to peri-urban anthropogenic pressures is a major threat to wetland biodiversity. However, little is known of the response of biodiversity to this disturbance. Biotic indicator species are useful for assessing the health and ecological integrity of wetlands. This study evaluated patterns of plant species richness and composition, and determined species characterizing each of three differently disturbed wetland sites of Lutembe Bay Wetland, a peri-urban Ramsar Wetland of International Importance and an Important Bird Area in Uganda. The study revealed that total nitrogen decreased following wetland degradation, but total phosphorous was not affected; pH values were