The Impact of Livestock Grazing on Soil Characteristics in Mount Kilimanjaro, Tanzania

Mligo, Cosmas

doi:10.4236/gep.2015.39004

Cited by 7 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 39 publications

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“…Inverted J shape pattern is normal population structure and shows the existence of species in healthier condition. Similar results were reported by (Abate et al 2006;Haile et al, 2008;Ermias et al, 2008;Leul et al, 2010;Samson et al, 2010;Tesfaye et al, 2013;Kflay and Kitessa, 2014;Mligo., 2015;Tesfaye et al, 2017b;and Tesfay et al, 2019).…”

Section: Woody Species Structuresupporting

confidence: 83%

“…Diameter at breast height (DBH): diameter of woody species arbitrarily arranged in diameter class intervals by referring (Mligo, 2015;Tesfay et al, 2019). Diameter of trees ̸ shrub plant species of KSNP was classified into nine classes of 10cm interval (2.5-10,10.1-20, 20.1-30, 30.1-40, 40.1-50, 50.1-60, 60.1-70, 70.1-80 and >80.1cm).…”

Section: Data Analysis a Woody Species Structurementioning

confidence: 99%

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Woody Species Structure and Regeneration Status in Kafta-Sheraro National Park Forest, Tigray Region, Ethiopia

Temesgen¹,

Warkineh²

2020

Preprint

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The natural vegetation study was conducted in Kafta-sheraro national park (KSNP) North, Ethiopia to explore floristic composition, structure and regeneration of woody species in the home of African elephant. In the park, the above information is not well documented which is necessary for conservation. Data were collected From August to December 2018. The vegetation data were collected from 161 quadrats of size 20m×20m, 5mx5m for shrub ̸ tree, sapling and seedling respectively. Individual trees and shrubs DBH >=2.5cm and height >=2m were measured using Tape meter and Clinometer respectively. DBH, frequency, density, basal area, and IVI were used for vegetation structure. A total of 70 woody species 46 (65.7%) trees, 18 (25.7%) shrubs and 6 (8.6%) tree ̸ shrub) were identified. The total basal area and density of 79.3 m2 ha-1, and 466 ±12.8 (S.E.) individuals ha-1 were calculated for 64 woody species. Fabaceae was the most dominant family occupied 16 species (23.0%) followed by Combretaceae 8 species (11.4%). Acacia mellifera and Combretum hartmannianum were the most dominant and frequent species. Abnormal patterns of selected woody species were dominantly identified. Regenerating status all the woody plant species was categorized as “Fair” (18.75%), “Poor” (7.81 %) and “None” (73.44%). However, there is good initiation for conservation of the park; still the vegetation of the park was threatened by firewood collection, charcoal production, fire, intensive farming, mining and over grazing. Therefore, the study area as the habitat for the population of the African elephant; the KSNP should be recommended the highest conservation priority and studied the soil seed bank of species having poor regeneration condition.

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Section: Woody Species Structuresupporting

confidence: 83%

Section: Data Analysis a Woody Species Structurementioning

confidence: 99%

Woody Species Structure and Regeneration Status in Kafta-Sheraro National Park Forest, Tigray Region, Ethiopia

Temesgen¹,

Warkineh²

2020

Preprint

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“…That livestock activities, including grazing, egestion and excretion, and trampling affect the structure and functioning of grassland ecosystems has led some workers to suggest that grazing and animal agriculture are ecologically destructive (Belsky, 1987;Mligo, 2015). Logic, however, causes one to question that notion, and numerous studies, both empirical and model-based, have demonstrated that a multiplicity of geophysical, biological, behavioral, and natural historical factors, functioning over seasonal to evolutionary timescales influence the ways that wild and domesticated grazers affect grassland ecosystems (McNaughton, 1985;Milchunas et al, 1988;Milchunas and Lauenroth, 1993;Cingolani et al, 2005;Patra et al, 2005;Villalba and Provenza, 2009;Hilario et al, 2017).…”

Section: Impacts To Plant Communities and Soil Healthmentioning

confidence: 99%

Do Differences in Livestock Management Practices Influence Environmental Impacts?

Kleppel

2020

Front. Sustain. Food Syst.

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Herbivore-carnivore interactions are fundamental to grassland ecosystem functionality and to the human cultures that have long depended on these ecosystems for their nutrition. However, a large literature has developed during the past century indicating that animal agriculture is responsible for numerous negative environmental impacts. In this paper, I review literature on some of the environmental impacts of two different livestock management approaches, industrial-conventional (IC) management and regenerative-multi-paddock (RM) management. I consider the null hypothesis that the environmental impacts of ruminant livestock production are independent of the approach used to manage animals and grazing lands. It evident in the literature that managed grazing ecosystems are complex, and for certain system attributes, such as forage quality and plant community structure, the better management system is difficult to discern. In other areas definitive differences in impacts appear clearly management dependent. For instance, the soils of RM grasslands exhibit higher microbial biomass and diversity, and higher fungal: bacterial ratios than IC soils. Several impacts associated with livestock production appear to have less to do with grazing, per se, and more to do with support factors, such as feed production and manure management. The compilation of data from numerous sources suggests that RM management may reduce blue withdrawals and GHG emissions by >50%, relative to IC management. Accumulating data also suggest that a significant portion of anthropogenic CO 2-eq emissions can be removed from the atmosphere and stored in the soil by applying RM management practices. Finally, it is suggested that while research design may affect the outcomes of some studies, the quality and quantity of the science may not resolve many discrepancies in the data. It is suggested that the viability and sustainability of animal agriculture may depend upon broadening the goals of practitioners to include both food production and the restoration and protection of agricultural ecosystem services.

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“…The number of total species recorded in Kafta-sheraro national park (182 species) was higher than other areas of the country like Alemsaga:124 species (Getinet et al The highest Shannon -Wiener diversity index and evenness in the study area were (H'= 2.82, J=0.72) which is comparable with other Ethiopian forests.Yemrehane Kirstos Church: H'=2.88, J=0.79 (Amanuel and Gemedo, 2018); Berbere: H'=2.95, J=0.76 (Tesfaye et al, 2017a); Tara Gedam: H' = 2.98, J=0.65 (Haileab et al, 2011); Doshke: H'=3.04, J=0.85 (Ayalew et al, 2018). But diversity index is higher than Grat-Kahsu protected dry natural vegetation of Tigray region: H'=2.38 (Tesfay et al, 2019) and H'=2.4: (Mligo, 2015). Diversity indices provide more information about community composition than simply species richness by taking into account relative abundance of different species (Giliba et al, 2011).…”

Section: Vegetation Composition and Diversity Of The Study Areamentioning

confidence: 99%

Human Disturbance, Plant Species Composition, Diversity and Community Types of Kafta-Sheraro National Park, Tigray Region, Ethiopia

Hailemariam¹,

Warkineh²,

Mitiku³

2021

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Background: Ethiopia is rich in woodland natural forest although of increasingly subjected to deforestation and forest degradation with extensive expansion of settlement and agricultural practices. In developing countries like Ethiopia forest is one of the vital resources that determine the livelihood of the local communities. Consequently, woodlands’ of the country’s are under heavy pressure by shifting cultivation and charcoal production. Kafta-sheraro national park is newly established woodland area which lacks documented vegetation diversity and human disturbance on the forest. The study was conducted to quantify plant species richness and diversity along altitude; and identify anthropogenic disturbance on vegetation composition and community diversity of the park. Methods: a Systematic sampling method was used to determine species composition, abundance, and diversity. 161 quadrats each (400 m2) lying 200 m far apart for trees and shrubs while sub-plots (1 m2) for herbs and grasses along transects were established over an altitudinal gradient of 539-1111 m.a.s.l. All vascular plant species were collected and brought to National Herbarium, Addis Ababa University for identification.The degree of disturbance data as (low, moderate and heavy) were visually estimated for each plot. Result: a total of 182 plant species: 63 (34.6%) herbs,46 (25.3%) trees, 38 (20.9%) grasses, 18(9.89%) shrubs, 11 climbers (6.04%), and 6 (3.3%) tree ̸ shrub), belonging to 142 genera and 53 families, were identified. Fabaceae was represented by the highest number of species (37 species; 20.3%) followed by Poaceae (36 species; 19.8%) and Asteraceae, 10 species (5.49%). Three plant communities’ types were identified: Acacia mellifera-Balanites aegyptiaca (1); Hyphaene thebaica-Ziziphus spina-christi (2); Combretum hartmannianum-Terminalia brownii-Boswellia papyrifera (3). Species richness was highest in community 1 (mid-altitude: 607-640 m.a.s.l.).The highest Shannon-Wiener diversity index (H`=2.82) for the forest was in community 2 (low altitude: 539-610 m.a.s.l.) while evenness (J=0.72) was highest in community 3 (high altitude: 674-1111 m.a.s.l.) There was a significant correlation between species richness (p=0.024) and altitude per plot while species diversity was non significant (p>0.05) over altitude. Human activities also strongly correlated with species richness and diversity of specific community type. Conclusion: the site has pronounced floristic composition and diversity. Altitudinal difference and the degree of human disturbance determine variation in species composition and richness among communities. Altitude is significantly correlated with species richness of all community types while it is more strongly correlated with community type1.Crop cultivation, illegal fire, and overpopulation of livestock grazing are the main threats in community types 2 and 3. However, this document is a baseline to vegetation information of the park. detailed study on conservation challenges (anthropogenic disturbance) of the park vegetation and prioritize their mitigation measures should be arranged.

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The Impact of Livestock Grazing on Soil Characteristics in Mount Kilimanjaro, Tanzania

Cited by 7 publications

References 39 publications

Woody Species Structure and Regeneration Status in Kafta-Sheraro National Park Forest, Tigray Region, Ethiopia

Woody Species Structure and Regeneration Status in Kafta-Sheraro National Park Forest, Tigray Region, Ethiopia

Do Differences in Livestock Management Practices Influence Environmental Impacts?

Human Disturbance, Plant Species Composition, Diversity and Community Types of Kafta-Sheraro National Park, Tigray Region, Ethiopia

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