The Effect of Land Cover Change on Soil Properties around Kibale National Park in South Western Uganda

Abstract

The change from natural forest cover to tea and Eucalyptus is rampant in protected areas of western Uganda. The objectives were; to examine the trend in land-use /cover change and determine the effect of these changes on the physico-chemical properties of soils around Kibale National Park. The trend in land use/cover change was assessed by analyzing a series of landsat images. Focused group discussions and key informant interviews were used for land-use/cover reconstruction. Three major land uses were included; woodlot (Eucalyptus grandis; 5 years old) ), tea (57 years old) and natural forest used as a control. Each of these land-uses were selected at two different North facing landscape positions and were replicated three times. A total of 36 composite soil samples were taken at 0–15 and 15–30 cm depth from natural forest, Tea plantation and eucalyptus on three ridges. Results showed that small scale farming, tea and eucalyptus plantation and built up area have increased over time, to the expense of woodlot and forest cover. Tea and Eucalyptus have induced changes in: exchangeable Mg and Ca, available P, SOM, pH, and bulk density of sub soil (P<.05). Landscape positions within land use also significantly influenced most soil properties (P<.05). Similar findings were observed by Wang et al. (2006) in commercial tea plantations in China that received nitrogen fertilizers.

Land use/cover change patterns in highland ecosystems of Lake Bunyonyi Catchment in western Uganda

“…This observation is in line with the National Biomass Study (1996) and Majaliwa et al (2015), and slightly different from observations from Bolwig (2002) who did not report open water, but instead had some bushland and large scale farming between 1954 and 1990s. The trend on small-scale farmland does not reflect what was observed by other authors in the region and other parts of Uganda (Majaliwa et al, 2010;Majaliwa, 2009, Twongyirwe et al, 2011;Bagalwa et al, 2012). Grassland and open water remained quasiuniform from 1987 to 2014 (Fig.…”

Mapping Soil Salinization of Agricultural Coastal Areas in Southeast Spain

“…Predominant land cover classes at the soil sampling plots and at additional land cover validation points were identified. Land cover is a fundamental variable that impacts on and links many parts of the human and physical environments (Foody, 2002) with a great influence on soil properties (Caravaca et al, 2002;Majaliwa et al, 2010;Biro et al, 2011). Both kinds of information in a GIS database were included.…”

The Effect of Land Use on Carbon Stocks and Implications for Climate Variability on the Slopes of Mount Elgon, Eastern Uganda

“…However, it tends to lose its fertility in a few years, prompting further clearing of more forest (Ronell 1995). The intact forest is normally encroached by local communities because of poverty, diversification of livelihoods, need for land for cultivation, and settlement (Buyinza et al, 2008;Majaliwa et al, 2010;Mugagga et al, 2010). The impact of settlement pressures on forest cover around Mt.…”