*2.1.1 Description of site 1: Mount Elgon with montane*

**Site 1** (the species' native ecosystem): is located from mid to high slopes (2745–3150 meters) of Mount Elgon with montane forests and dense vegetation in Bududa districts, Eastern Uganda. The latitude and longitudinal spatial coverage of the study site stretch from 0°59'N, 34°17′ E to 1°04'N, 34°25′E (**Figure 2**). The area receives bimodal rainfall patterns with a mean annual rainfall of 1900 mm, where the long and short rainy seasons range from September to November, and March to April 2021–2022. respectively. The mean maximum and minimum daily temperatures are 23° and 15°C; respectively.

#### **Figure 2.** *Location of Mt. Elgon slopes (Site 1) and Mabira Forest (Site 2), Uganda.*

*Integrated Conservation Approaches for Rescuing, Regeneration and Adaptive Management… DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.106893*

Vegetation along the slopes of Mt. Elgon is associated with large mountain massifs and is altitudinally controlled zonal belts, which are classified into four zones namely; moorland - above 3500 m, bamboo and low canopy montane forest (from 2400 to 3000 m); and mixed montane forest -up to 2500 m elevation [9].

#### *2.1.2 Description of site 2: tropical rainforest*

Site Two (Tropical rainforest) is located in the Mabira forest reserve, the largest rainforest in Uganda covering over 30,000 hectares, in the Buikwe district of Central Uganda (**Figure 2**). The forest is located at latitude and longitudes of 0°23′54″N and 33°0′59″ E; respectively with several watersheds draining from Lake Victoria. The Mabila forest is elevated between 1000 and 1340 m A.S.L., and nearly 5% of the forest is made of four gently sloping hills: Dangala, Namusa, Ntunda, and Wakobe, which rise up to 1340 m [8]. The forest has an equatorial climate type with a bimodal rainfall pattern with two distinct short and long rainy seasons, from March to May, and September to November; respectively. The area receives a mean annual rainfall of 1300 mm, which is generally distributed throughout the year. The mean annual temperature within the Mabira forest ranges from 21 to 25°C, with minimum and maximum mean annual temperature ranges of 16–17°C, and 28–29°C; respectively [10].

Like the climate along Mt. Elgon slopes, the general climate of Mabira forest zones displays comparably small inter-seasonal variations in wind, rainfall, humidity, and temperatures throughout the year. This is because the forest is in close proximity to Lake Victoria and at an elevation of up to 1340 m, which moderates the area's microclimatic conditions (**Figure 2**), including the warming effect despite being within the equatorial region [10].

#### **2.2 Methodology and activities undertaken**

## *2.2.1 Objective 1: Evaluating the current conservation status, spatial distribution, and richness of the Bothriocline auriculata species*

The conservation status, distribution and species richness of the *Bothriocline auriculata* (BAT) species were studied in its native ecosystem on the slopes of Mt. Elgon in the Bududa district (Site 1). The study site, site 2 (**Figure 2**) was subdivided into three big zones, separated by elevation and vegetation differences. In each zone, 10 quadrants of 250x300ft size (covering 1.7acres) were randomly distributed across each zone, from which the BAT specimens were collected and studied.

The spatial distribution and species richness of the *Bothriocline auriculata* species in each zone were recorded through a detailed ecogeographical field survey [11], in which the BAT species' geographical range and ecological status were defined and recorded*.* During the surveys*,* spatial locations of the BAT species were geographically marked with a new Global Positioning System, GPS datum WGS84 using Garmin 12XL receiver. Study sites were mapped based on the species' spatial occurrence, the frequency of habitation, mature and young individuals, and population size using ArcGIS 9.2 software. These parameters were used to estimate BAT conservation status, vegetation structure, spatial distribution and species richness using the IUCN criteria [7].

Conversely, soil samples from each zone were collected using a soil auger, packed in plastic bags and transported to Makerere University for analysis of biophysical and chemical characteristics, so as to determine the conditions needed for the growth and regeneration of BAT. Similarly, both weather and climate data from each study site/ zone were collected from the nearest meteorological station. The vegetation structure, soil and climatic data were used to spot the best habitat preferences for BAT species to enhance in-situ conservation within the study sites.
