Department of Natural Resource Managementhttp://etd.dbu.edu.et:80/handle/123456789/1602024-03-28T16:42:49Z2024-03-28T16:42:49ZTHE EFFECT OF GRAZING EXCLUSIONS AND SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION MEASURES ON GRASS BIOMASS PRODUCTION AND SELECTED SOIL PROPERTIES IN THE CENTRAL HIGHLAND OF ETHIOPIAMISIKER, ARAGAWhttp://etd.dbu.edu.et:80/handle/123456789/6342021-07-07T12:57:01Z2021-06-01T00:00:00ZTHE EFFECT OF GRAZING EXCLUSIONS AND SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION MEASURES ON GRASS BIOMASS PRODUCTION AND SELECTED SOIL PROPERTIES IN THE CENTRAL HIGHLAND OF ETHIOPIA
MISIKER, ARAGAW
The traditional and uncontrolled grazing system in the communal grazing lands of the central
Ethiopian highlands, had resulted in severe soil degradation. This study was intended to
determine the effects of grazing exclusion and soil and water conservation(SWC)measures on
grass biomass production and selected soil properties and to assess the strategies and
perceptions of farmer’s towards grazing and its management. Six grazing exclusion (GE) fences
and adjacent six free grazing (FG) plots, each 2X 2m, were established at Gedda watershed, of
which three of them were in treated lands with SWC measures while the rest three were in areas
where there was no SWC treatment. A total of 192 aboveground biomass (AGB) samples were
collected at four sampling periods.The soil samples were collected in two of the randomly
selected quadrants from both the exclosures and adjacent FG plots within two soil depths, 0-15
and 15- 30 cm.The analysis result revealed that bulk density, sand, silt, Ca2+, Mg2+, Na+
, SOM,
SOC, TN, available Pand AGB were significantly affected as a result of grazing exclusions while
EC, pH, CEC, K
+
and C: N showed no significant difference. SWC greatly impacted different soil
parameters, i.e. lower bulk density and sand percentage, higher clay, SOM and SOC, illustrating
the effectiveness of employing SWC measures together with other management strategies so as to
prevent soil erosion and degradation in grazing lands. Thus grazing exclusion and SWC should
be adopted jointly and soil conditions prior to exclusions should be considered for better
outcomes.
2021-06-01T00:00:00ZIDENTIFICATION OF INDIGENOUS SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION PRACTICES IN GARA MEYE WATERSHED, CENTRAL HIGHLANDS OF ETHIOPIABizuayehu, Tesfayehttp://etd.dbu.edu.et:80/handle/123456789/6332021-07-07T12:52:18Z2021-06-01T00:00:00ZIDENTIFICATION OF INDIGENOUS SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION PRACTICES IN GARA MEYE WATERSHED, CENTRAL HIGHLANDS OF ETHIOPIA
Bizuayehu, Tesfaye
Soil and water conservation practices have many forms. Indigenous soil and water
conservation practices are very site-specific and need proper recording. The objectives of
this study were to identify, investigate experiences of modifications, and examine the role
of people of the indigenous soil and water conservation practices in Gara Meye
watershed, central highlands of Ethiopia. To achieve these objectives, data was generated
from purposely-selected 93 rural households of the watershed. The primary data
collection methods were observation and measurement, questionnaire, focus group
discussion, and key informant interview. The secondary sources were the review of
different documents. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and inferential
statistics processed through the USLE model and a two-tailed paired t-test. The most
common identified indigenous physical and biological SWC practices were crop rotation,
agro forestry, un-ploughed grass strip, traditional cutoff drain, traditional waterway,
traditional drainage ditch, and stone bunds. On the other hand, improved SWC
practices were cutoff drain, trench, and stone-faced soil bunds. The above-identified
ISWC measures have unique properties including their seasonality, effectiveness, land
use, soil preference, and slope preferences, purpose, input requirement (construction
materials), different dimensions, and maintenance requirements. Those ISWC measures
were implemented on both cultivated and grass lands in one cropping season or
permanently, with slope ranges 3-30%, and have their own different dimensions. The
different purposes were reducing the length of the slope, reducing soil erosion, improving
soil fertility, and the corresponding crop yield when they are continuously maintained. In
farmers’ opinion, ISWC practices were more effective, less costly, needs less labor, and
practiced with farmer knowledge, because of this farmer's willingness to ISWC practices
were found higher. The level of maintenance and integration among indigenous and
improved soil conservation practices was low. Although farmers give priority to the
ISWC practices, they have experiences and roles of doing some modifications on the
ISWC practices; stone-faced soil bunds can be taken as an example. The study concluded
that ISWC is still acceptable and undergo some modifications for better results. Therefore,
future interventions should emphasize on the IWSC and the improved measures, their
integration, and continuous maintenances.
2021-06-01T00:00:00ZPRIORITIZATION OF NAZERO WATERSHED FOR SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION PLANNING USING GEOSPATIAL TECHNIQUES IN EFERTANA GIDEM DISTRICT; CENTRAL LOWLANDS OF ETHIOPIAZemenu, Alamawuhttp://etd.dbu.edu.et:80/handle/123456789/6052021-06-17T07:22:43Z2021-04-01T00:00:00ZPRIORITIZATION OF NAZERO WATERSHED FOR SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION PLANNING USING GEOSPATIAL TECHNIQUES IN EFERTANA GIDEM DISTRICT; CENTRAL LOWLANDS OF ETHIOPIA
Zemenu, Alamawu
Ethiopia is one of the severely affected countries of the world by soil erosion. Soil and water conservation (SWC) measures have been implemented to minimize soil erosion since the 1980s without priority-based and scientifically quantified state of soil erosion in the study watershed. Therefore, this study was aimed to estimate spatially distributed potential soil loss in the Nazero watershed and prioritize its sub-watersheds ready for SWC planning, using Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE) and Geospatial techniques. Input parameters were derived from FAO and open access geospatial database. The result indicated that the mean annual estimated soil loss rate in the district was 17 t ha−1y−1 with a standard deviation of 62 t ha−1 y−1. Priority sub-watersheds, based on soil loss SW4, SW8. SW10, and SW9, were labeled as a high priority while, SW5, SW6, and SW7 were categorized under medium priority, and SW3, SW2, and SW1 were categorized under least priority based on the average degree of severity of drainage density and bifurcation ratio SW9, SW7, SW5, SW6, and SW8 were the first priority of sub-watershed but for Soil and water conservation planning and implementation use priority of soil loss. The soil erosion process in the study area was not as damaging. Reduction of the present soil erosion status of Nazero watershed by prioritizing at sub-watershed level can provide on-time responses to sub-watersheds exposed to potential erosion and help use limited resources. , Integration application of geospatial technics with the RUSLE model could be vital in other parts of the country for soil loss severity level-based watershed partitioning.
2021-04-01T00:00:00ZEFFECTS OF SOIL CONSERVATION PRACTICE AND CROP ROTATION ON SELECTED SOIL PHYSICO-CHEMICAL PROPERTIES: THE CASE OF DEMBECHA DISTRICT, WEST GOJJAM ZONE OF AMHARA NATIONAL REGIONAL STATE, ETHIOPIAMelkamu , Deguhttp://etd.dbu.edu.et:80/handle/123456789/3392019-08-30T12:14:37Z2018-08-01T00:00:00ZEFFECTS OF SOIL CONSERVATION PRACTICE AND CROP ROTATION ON SELECTED SOIL PHYSICO-CHEMICAL PROPERTIES: THE CASE OF DEMBECHA DISTRICT, WEST GOJJAM ZONE OF AMHARA NATIONAL REGIONAL STATE, ETHIOPIA
Melkamu , Degu
Land degradation in the form of soil erosion is a serious global problem. To sustain land productivity, besides the commonly adopted crop rotation practices, level soil bunds have been implemented. However, their effectiveness has not been reflected yet in the study area. The objective of this study was to investigate the three year cumulative effect of crop rotation and conservation practice on selected soil physico-chemical properties in Northwestern part of Ethiopia. Soil samples (0-20 cm depth) were collected from seven crop rotation practices with conservation practice and adjacent fields without any conservation measure in three replications. A total of forty two composite samples were used for analysis by using SAS software. The soil parameters bulk density, texture, soil organic matter, total nitrogen, pH, exchangeable acidity, exchangeable bases, cation exchange capacity, available phosphorus, available potassium and C:N ratio were analyzed. The land rotated with maize-wheat-faba bean exhibited significantly higher mean bulk density (1.06g/cm3) than the other crop rotation (i.e ranged from 1.02-1.04g/cm3). All the values of bulk density were below the critical values for agricultural use (1.4 g/cm). The analysis of variance revealed there was significant (p<0.05) effects of crop rotation and conservation practice in all studied soil properties. Mean values of pH (5.34, 4.98 and 5.4), Ex. acidity (2.03, 2.53 and 2.16cmolc/kg ), Soil OM (4.53%, 5.12% and 5.02%), CEC (45.17, 48.03 and 49.47cmolc/kg ), TN (0.23, 0.25 and 0.27%), Av.P (10.21, 7.23 and7.95ppm) and C:N ratio (11.18, 11.95 and 10.8) were recorded under rotations with continuous maize, maize-pepper-pepper and maize-faba bean-pepper respectively. Mean values of pH (5.34 and 4.97), Av.P (9.51 and 6.53ppm), CEC (48.3 and 46.87cmolc/kg) and Ex. acidity (2.5 and 2.85cmolc/kg) were also recorded under conserved and un-conserved farmlands respectively. Considering the interaction effect of crop rotations by conservation practice, all studied parameters except bulk density, CEC and C: N ratio, were significantly (p<0.05) affected. High value of pH (5.6) was recorded under maize-maize-maize and maize-wheat-faba bean rotations plus conservation practice. Maize-wheat-maize, maize-maize-maize and maize-wheat-pepper plus conservation practice showed low value of exchangeable acidity 1.71, 1.81 and 1.81cmolc/kg respectively. The findings indicate more diverse crop rotations, growing of grain legume and constructions of soil bund were the best option to improve most soil properties. A critical study on such type of issue should be carried out over a longer period of time in order to announce detail understanding about cropping system to the community.
2018-08-01T00:00:00Z