Vegetation diversity as an indicator of human social diversity and economic inequality in Bindura mining town, Zimbabwe

Abstract

An assessment of planted vegetation in the residential surbubs of the mining town of Bindura was carried out to determine socio-economic variations of urban dwellers.  The suburbs were categorized into low, medium, pre-independence and post-independence high-density.  Spaces no covered by buildings in all the residential areas were studied at 5% sampling intensity with special attention on origin purpose and frequency of species occurrence.  Data were analysed using Univariate Analysis of Variance using SPSS 10.0 with descriptive statistics and post hoc tests.  Results indicated a significant (p<0.01) preference for exotic species in comparison to indigenous species across the surbubs.  There was a higher preference (<0.01) for ornamental trees in low-density suburbs compared to fruit trees and ornamentals shrubs whereas the high- and medium density suburb residents preferred fruit trees.  The skew in vegetation preference from ornamentals to fruits and fruits to ornamentals in the low density and high-density residential suburbs respectively, explains a significant variation in socio-economic classes of the urban dwellers.  The medium density residential areas mimic the high density trend in most aspects as a result of culture transfer.