This research is aimed at exploring the changes in indicators of ecosystem services associated with integrated land management practices and generating information and data from agricultural landscapes. The specific objectives are to evaluate changes in selected soil physicochemical properties of the treated site taking the neighboring control site as a base, to quantify the change in water discharge due to integrated land management practices, to assess plant species richness in the watershed and compute changes due to integrated land management practices, to determine the plant biomass production and carbon stock of the watershed associated with integrated land management practices.
This thesis is organized in five chapters. The first chapter provides general background information followed by the research problem, justification of the study, research objectives, hypotheses and research questions. The second chapter is a review of relevant literatures that gives existing evidences on the severity of land degradation, rehabilitation efforts and outcomes of rehabilitation works in Ethiopia, and the third chapter is the materials and methods section that begins with a description of the study area and explanations the research methods. Chapter four presents results and discussion of each research objective which are published in or submitted to peer-reviewed scientific journals and manuscripts under preparation. Chapter five provides the conclusions and recommendations of the research.
Table of Contents
CHAPTER ONE
1. INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background
1.2 Statement of the problem
1.3 Justification of the study
1.4 Research objectives, hypothesis and research questions
1.4.1 General and specific objectives
1.4.2 Research hypothesis
1.4.3 Research questions
1.5 Structure of the thesis
CHAPTER TWO
2. LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1 Definition and extent of land degradation
2.2 Severity of land degradation in Ethiopia
2.3 Causes of land degradation in Ethiopia
2.4 Impacts of land degradation on the environment and landscape productivity
2.4.1 Impact on the environment
2.4.2 Impact on landscape productivity
2.5 Efforts to rehabilitate degraded lands in Ethiopia
2.5.1 Government initiatives
2.5.2 Ineffectiveness of past interventions
2.5.3 Integrated watershed based approach
2.6 Impacts of conservation measures in degraded land rehabilitation
CHAPTER THREE
3. MATERIALS AND METHODS
3.1 Description of the study area
3.2 Study design
3.3 Determination of selected soil physicochemical properties
3.3.1. Soil sampling
3.3.2 Soil lab analysis
3.3.3 Soil moisture analysis
3.4 Determination of water discharge
3.5 Assessment of plant species richness
3.6 Assessment of carbon stock
3.7 Data Analysis
CHAPTER FOUR
4. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
4.1 Effects of integrated land management on selected soil properties
4.1.1 Effects of integrated land management on soil physical properties
4.1.2 Effects of integrated land management on soil moisture content
4.1.3 Effects of integrated land management and landscape position on selected soil chemical properties
4.1.4 Effects of land-use and soil depth on selected soil chemical properties
4.2 Effects of intergrated land management on water discharge and irrigation practices
4.2.1 Effects of intergrated land management on water discharge
4.2.2 Effects of integrated land management on irrigation practice
4.3 Effects of integrated land management practice on plant species richness
4.4 Effects of integrated land management on plant biomass production, biomass export and carbon stock
4.4.1 Effects of integrated land management and landscape position on plant biomass production and biomass export
4.4.2 Effects of land-use types on plant biomass production and biomass export
4.4.3 Effects of integrating land management on carbon stock through plant biomass
4.4.4 Effects of integrated land management on soil carbon stock
4.4.5 Effects of integrated land management measure on total carbon stock
CHAPTER FIVE
5. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
5.1 Conclusion
5.2 Recommendations
Research Objectives and Thematic Scope
The research evaluates the impact of integrated land management interventions on ecosystem service indicators within the Geda watershed of Ethiopia, specifically comparing treated landscapes with adjacent untreated areas to assess improvements in soil quality, water availability, biodiversity, and carbon sequestration capacity.
- Effects of land management on soil physicochemical properties
- Water discharge capacity and irrigation practices
- Plant species richness and diversity
- Biomass production and carbon stock accumulation
- Impact of landscape position and land-use types on ecosystem services
Excerpt from the Book
1.1 Background
The highlands of Ethiopia experienced severe land degradation through soil erosion by water due to proximate causes such as deforestation, overgrazing, over-cultivation, and underlying causes such as population pressure, steepness of the topography, poor farming practices, poverty and tenure insecurity (Gideon, 2004; Haile et al., 2006; Mushir, 2013; Gashaw et al., 2014;2015). Most of the mountainous landscapes of the country have been cultivated for decades without adequate use of soil and water conservation measures to minimize soil erosion by water. As a result, soil erosion by water affected about 50% of the Ethiopian highlands (Asfaw and Neka, 2017; Ebabu et al., 2019). Each year, about 1900 million tons of soil, equivalent to an average net of 100 tons ha-1 year-1 soil eroded and annual soil loss from farmlands reached 200-300 tons ha-1year-1 which is equivalent to 8 mm soil depth (FAO, 1986; Tilahun et al., 2018).
In monetary terms, Ethiopia loses US$ 1 to 2 billion year–1 (Dessalegn et al. 2015). Ayalew (2011) reported 17% of the potential annual agricultural GDP has been lost due to physical and biological soil degradation. It is estimated that the cost of land degradation in Ethiopia reached 23% of the country’s GDP (Kirui and Mirzabaev, 2015). In addition, soil degradation brings about indirect costs such as loss of environmental services, silting of dams and river beds and reduced groundwater.
Summary of Chapters
CHAPTER ONE: Provides the introduction, research problem, study justification, objectives, hypotheses, and research questions.
CHAPTER TWO: Reviews literature on land degradation, its causes, severity, and past rehabilitation efforts in Ethiopia.
CHAPTER THREE: Details the study area, research design, soil sampling, laboratory analysis, and methodologies for assessing discharge and species richness.
CHAPTER FOUR: Discusses the results regarding soil properties, water discharge, plant species richness, and carbon stocks in treated vs. untreated sites.
CHAPTER FIVE: Concludes the research findings and provides recommendations for scaling land management interventions.
Keywords
Biomass, Carbon stock, integrated land management, Landscape position, Treatment, Soil physicochemical properties, Soil erosion, Species richness, Ethiopia, Geda watershed, Water discharge, Land degradation, Sustainable Land Management (SLM), Tree Lucerne, Watershed management
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this research?
The research explores the impact of integrated land management practices—such as construction of soil and stone bunds, planting of trees like Tree Lucerne, and prohibiting free grazing—on ecosystem services within the Geda watershed of the Ethiopian highlands.
What are the central themes of the work?
Key themes include land degradation assessment, the effectiveness of structural and biological conservation measures, soil nutrient and carbon sequestration dynamics, and the influence of landscape and land-use on ecological productivity.
What is the core research objective?
The study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of integrated land management in improving soil health, plant species richness, biomass production, and water availability by comparing treated sites with adjacent untreated control sites.
Which scientific methods are utilized?
The study uses systematic sampling, laboratory analysis for soil properties (e.g., pH, nitrogen, phosphorus), physical measurement of water discharge at site outlets, and transect-based plant species inventory.
What is covered in the main body of the work?
The main body covers the literature review on degradation in Ethiopia, detailed materials and methods, and an extensive analysis and discussion of results concerning soil physical and chemical properties, hydrological changes, and carbon stock performance.
Which keywords define this study?
Primary keywords include Biomass, Carbon stock, integrated land management, Landscape position, Treatment, and sustainable land management.
How did integrated land management affect the soil?
The study found significant improvements in soil physicochemical properties, including higher clay, total nitrogen, available phosphorus, and soil organic carbon in treated sites compared to untreated sites.
What was observed regarding carbon stock?
An average of 10.72 Mg ha-1 of additional carbon stock was observed due to the interventions, with Tree Lucerne plots showing high potential for biomass and carbon storage.
Did the intervention influence water availability?
Yes, water discharge in the treated site increased by 588% compared to the untreated site, suggesting improved infiltration and storage processes due to the conservation measures.
- Quote paper
- Hailu Terefe (Author), 2020, Effects of integrated land management, landscape position and land-use types on soil physicochemical properties, discharge, species richness and carbon stock in Geda watershed, north Shewa, Ethiopia, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/986950
