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Abstract
A study on effects of bush encroachment control techniques on rangeland productivity and tick population dynamics was conducted in Arero district of Borana zone, southern Ethiopia, for three consecutive years. The study targeted two main and dominant encroaching bush species in Borana rangeland, Acacia drepanolobium and Acacia mellifera, and their effects on some vegetation attributes and tick population dynamics. A hectare of rangeland encroached by these two acacia species was replicated/divided into three plots, and each plot was subdivided into five sub-plots to receive five treatments: cutting at 0.5 m above ground and pouring kerosene on stumps (T1), cutting at 0.5 m above ground and debarking the stumps down into the soil surface (T2), cutting at 0.5 m above ground alone (T3), cutting at 0.5 m above ground and dissecting the stumps (T4) and control (T5). Data on basal and litter covers, soil erosion and compaction, dead and re-sprouted encroaching tree/shrub species and nymph- and adult-stage tick populations were collected before and after treatment applications. The applied treatments significantly influenced (p < 0.05) basal cover, nymph- and adult-stage tick population and the two encroaching tree species. The results of this study showed that T3 and T2 were good in controlling A. drepanolobium in that order. T4 and T2 had a significant effect in controlling A. mellifera in their order. Controlling bush encroachment had also a positive effect in eradicating the tick population. The most dominant grass and non-grass species observed after the control actions were Cenchrus ciliaris, Chrysopogon aucheri, Abutilon hirtum, Pennisetum mezianum, Dyschoriste hildebrandtii, Zaleya pentandra and Eragrostis papposa. Therefore, controlling encroaching tree/shrub species had created a conducive grazing area with palatable herbaceous species for the livestock and unequivocally reduced tick population which play a role in reducing cattle milk production through closing off teats. The management of bush encroachment, if sustained, will contribute in stabilizing rangelands and help minimize the negative effects of feed and food crises in the future.
Highlights
Worldwide, rangelands contribute about 70% of the feed needs of domestic ruminants and contribute about 85% of the total feed needs of ruminants in African and South American countries (Holechek et al 2005)
We observed during the experiment that T3 was effective only on aged A. drepanolobium rather than on the juveniles, and the level of vulnerability might be related to tree sizes and stage of growth (Oba 1990; Pinard et al 1999; Clark and Wilson 2001)
Dead stumps of A. mellifera was 32.3%, which was higher than dead stumps of A. drepanolobium (19.4%), showing that A. mellifera was more susceptible to the applied treatments than A. drepanolobium (Table 1)
Summary
Rangelands contribute about 70% of the feed needs of domestic ruminants and contribute about 85% of the total feed needs of ruminants in African and South American countries (Holechek et al 2005). Past studies have through competition, becoming unsuitable for browsing and grazing (Tamene 1990). Acacia species such as Acacia drepanolobium, Acacia reficiens and Acacia mellifera and Commiphora species are identified as the most encroaching species (Oba 1998). A survey of 560 milking cows in Borana in 1989 revealed that 15% of the cows' teats were closed off due to tick damage. This situation exacerbates the pastoralists' potential to secure their household food needs as milk is the predominant food for the pastoralists in the study area
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