Effects of Land Use Change on Land Degradation Reflected by Soil Properties along Mara River, Kenya and Tanzania

Matano, Ally-Said; Kanangire, Canisius Kabungo; Anyona, Douglas N.; Abuom, Paul O.; Gelder, Frank B.; Dida, Gabriel O.; Owuor, P.O.; Ofulla, Ayub V.

doi:10.4236/ojss.2015.51003

Cited by 33 publications

(23 citation statements)

References 45 publications

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“…This growth rate translates to an increased pressure and demand for land resources especially in the watershed regions such as Mau Forest Complex. As a result, there is continuing watershed degradation reflected through diminishing forest cover, reduced water quality, soil productivity, loss of riparian vegetation and wetland areas leading to a decline in the ecological stability of these systems (Matano et al, 2015).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Influence of Land Use Activities on Riparian Vegetation, Soil and Water Quality: An Indicator of Biodiversity Loss, South West Mau Forest, Kenya

Njue¹,

Koech²,

Hitimana³

et al. 2016

OJF

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Watershed and riparian areas of Mau Forest Complex in Kenya are experiencing increased threats due to unsustainable land use activities geared towards economic growth amidst growing population. This study was carried out to examine effects of land use activities on riparian vegetation, soil and water quality along two major rivers (Chemosit and Kipsonoi) of South West Mau Forest (SWMF). Land use activities adjacent to these rivers and biodiversity disturbance on the riparian zone were identified and underpinned to changes on Total Nitrogen, Total Phosphorous, Potassium, Sulphur, Cadmium, Copper, Lead, Total Suspended Solids and soil Organic Carbon. Three sampling sites designated(upstream, midstream and downstream) were identified and established along each river as guided by existing land use activities represented by forest, tea plantation and mixed agricultural farming respectively. At each sampling site, a 200 m × 50 m section was systematically marked on each side of the river bank; the longest side being parallel to the river flow and divided into three belts transects each 20 m × 50 m, spaced 70 m apart. Six distinct land use activities (indigenous forest, food crop, tree and tea farming, livestock keeping and urban settlement) were identified as the major land use activities in SWMF. Plant species richness decreased and overall riparian disturbance increased from upstream (intact canopy with native vegetation) to mid-stream and downstream as epitomized by the structure, biodiversity disturbance resulting from extensive and intensive farming, intrusion of exotic species to livestock grazing and urban settlement. Variation among sampling sites in Total Suspended Solids, pH, Total Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium were associated to different land use activities along the riparian zone. Total Nitrogen and water pH showed significant sensitivity to land use changes (p < 0.05). Put together these results indicate loss of biodiversity, riparian disturbance hence a need to adopt environmental-friendly land use planning and sustainable farming systems in SWMF.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Influence of Land Use Activities on Riparian Vegetation, Soil and Water Quality: An Indicator of Biodiversity Loss, South West Mau Forest, Kenya

Njue¹,

Koech²,

Hitimana³

et al. 2016

OJF

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“…Despite this rapid change, and in contrast to the vast literature on agricultural soils, only few studies have examined the effects of the long-term conversion from grassland or cropland on soil properties in mountain forest ecosystems (Skousen et al 1998). Historical review on landuse in the mountain zones in Bulgaria showed that past forests have been threatened by excessive and improper use by the local population, which has led to replacement of typical tree species by others (Masarov 1940, Alexandrov 1994. In Bulgaria, afforestation is of high importance for mountain ecosystems, and substantial land conversion took place during the last decades to contrast erosion, to increase the treeline zone and to use low-productive areas.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Soil bulk density is the major discriminating factor in soil properties in relation to land use and management (Tisdall & Oades 1982, Zenga et al 2014, Matano et al 2015. Soil bulk density integrates effects of management and OM decline; these factors in conjunction result in smaller pore volumes and thus higher bulk densities.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Carbon storage and soil property changes following afforestation in mountain ecosystems of the Western Rhodopes, Bulgaria

Zhiyanski¹,

Glushkova²,

Ferezliev³

et al. 2016

iForest

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Land-use changes and afforestation activities are widely recognized as possible measures for mitigating climate change through carbon sequestration. The present study was conducted to evaluate the effect of afforestation on (i) soil physical and chemical properties and soil carbon stocks in four mountain ecosystems and (ii) whole ecosystem carbon storage. The four experimental sites, situated in the Western Rhodope Mountains (Bulgaria) were characterized by typical forest-related land-use conversions. The four sites were a Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii [Mirb.] Franco) plantation (Rd1) established on former cropland, a mixed black pine (Pinus nigra Arn.) with Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) plantation (Rd2) established on former cropland, a cropland (RdA1) and an abandoned land with uncontrolled extensive grazing (RdA2) historically used as cropland. Soil parameters, i.e., sand content, pH, organic C and N contents, C/N ratio and soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks, were significantly affected by land use and land-use history. Conversion from cropland into forestland significantly reduced soil bulk density and coarse fragments at 0-10 cm depth. Compared with adjacent cropland and abandoned land, soils in coniferous plantations were acidified in their upper layers. Sites Rd2 and RdA2 contained the least SOC owing to the previous long-term arable cultivation (>100 years). Analysis of the ecosystem C stock distribution revealed that most of C in forests was stored in the aboveground tree biomass. Our study confirmed that afforestation of cropland turned the soil into a C sink for the selected mountain region, but showed conflicting results when afforestation occurred on abandoned cropland.

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“…Therefore, Grazing by wild ungulates naturally differs from livestock grazing (Jackson and Bartolome, 2007). Depending on the number of stocking rate, ungulate type (wild or domestic) and grazing periods, grazing practices affect soil properties APPLIED Matano et al, 2015). High grazing intensity leads to decreasing nutrient availability resulting in soil fertility reduction (Morgan, 1995;Hiernaux et al, 1999;Connolly et al, 2016).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Soil property changes under different kinds of herbivore grazing in arid rangelands of Yazd province, Iran

Karimian¹

2017

Appl Ecol Env Res

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Abstract. Due to the lack of forage and poor condition in arid rangelands, investigation of soil properties is essential and very important. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to compare wildlife, livestock and alternative grazing effects on physicochemical characteristics of the soil in arid rangelands of Kalmand-Bahadoran in Yazd province. Soil samples were taken in each plot (0-30 cm) and in each site by random systematic method. The results showed that the highest amount of silt and bulk density belonged to livestock grazing site (p<0.01). Statistical analysis indicated that calcium carbonate percentage in livestock grazing site (18.33%) was higher than it was in wildlife+livestock (14.85%) and deer (12.57%) grazing sites (p<0.01), respectively. Acidity and electrical conductivity levels in livestock and wildlife+livestock grazing areas were significantly higher than that was in deer grazing site (p<0.01). Wildlife+livestock grazing area had more organic matters content (0.28%) compared to other areas (p<0.01). P and K parameters were in the order of livestock > wildlife+livestock > wildlife grazing sites. So that the amount of phosphorus was 79, 71 and 62 and potassium was 101, 87 and 77 in terms of livestock, wildlife+livestock and wildlife grazing sites, respectively. Nitrogen was the highest in alternative grazing area (0.08%), wildlife grazing site was in the second level (0.06%), and the least amount of Nitrogen was related to livestock grazing region (0.03%) (p<0.01). It can be inferred that there is no negative effects by deer and wildlife+livestock grazing. Proper management strategies should be performed as a tool to reduce some negative impacts.

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Effects of Land Use Change on Land Degradation Reflected by Soil Properties along Mara River, Kenya and Tanzania

Cited by 33 publications

References 45 publications

Influence of Land Use Activities on Riparian Vegetation, Soil and Water Quality: An Indicator of Biodiversity Loss, South West Mau Forest, Kenya

Influence of Land Use Activities on Riparian Vegetation, Soil and Water Quality: An Indicator of Biodiversity Loss, South West Mau Forest, Kenya

Carbon storage and soil property changes following afforestation in mountain ecosystems of the Western Rhodopes, Bulgaria

Soil property changes under different kinds of herbivore grazing in arid rangelands of Yazd province, Iran

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