Abstract:
Fast growing E. globulus tree is widely practiced and has become part of the farming system, particularly in the central highlands of Ethiopia. This study was designed to determine the effects of E. globulus plantation on soil organic carbon (SOC) stock and to examine farmers’ perception towards ecosystem services in Basona Werena District, Central Highlands of Ethiopia. Soil samples were taken from land with E. globulus plantation and cultivated land at two depths (0-20 cm and 20-40 cm) from three slope positions (upper, middle and lower) with three replications. A total of 94 persons responded to the questionnaire survey. Both closed and open-ended questions were used and households were interviewed house-to-house. The values of soil parameters were subjected to a three-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) following the general linear model (GLM) procedure using SAS 9.4. Descriptive statistics and multiple linear regressions were used to analyze the surveyed data. The result revealed that SOC stock was highly significantly (P < 0.001) higher in the E. globulus plantation (28.5 Mg/ha) than cultivated land (21.0 Mg/ha). The mean values of OM ranged from 1.43 to 2.12%. However, the mean values of total N ranged from 0.09 to 0.13%. The mean bulk density of the soils ranged from 1.23 and 1.31 g cm-3. The pH ranged from 5.28 to 5.58. The results of the social survey showed that, despite the negative effects of E. globulus plantation such as competition with cropland (74.5%), reducing soil fertility (66%), it had a tremendous role for the local farmers including source of income (100%), fuelwood (100%) and construction material (96.8%). The multiple linear regression model revealed that several socioeconomic and cognitive variables significantly affected the local farmers’ of the dependent variables, i.e. perception towards the conversion of cultivated land to Eucalyptus plantation, (16% variance), feeling on having E. globulus plantation (23% variance) and fears of the expansion Eucalyptus (12% variance explained). Generally, planting Eucalyptus on degraded land had multiple roles in providing households need as well as SOC stock in line with protecting erodible soil. Therefore, to be more benefited from Eucalyptus plantation as SOC stock, regulating the environment and meeting livelihoods consumption, improved management of Eucalyptus plantation should be promoted and should be studied further.
