Abstract
Wetlands provide enormous socioeconomic and environmental values. However, wetlands are threatened by conversion for agricultural land in southwestern Ethiopia. The study aims to assess the impact of wetland cultivation on plant species richness, composition and soil fertility. Plant species richness and composition was investigated for 30 plots in each site of adjacent uncultivated and cultivated wetlands sites and total of 60 sampling plots were used. Soil samples were collected from 18 sample plots (9 in each site) selected using simple random method from plots used for plant survey. The results showed that cultivated sites have significantly higher (P<0.05) species richness, diversity and evenness indices than uncultivated wetlands. Though, this seems positive biological integrity in cultivated site, some ecologically and socioeconomically valuable wetland plant species were lost. Similarity of species (index 30.51%) between two sites was low. Moisture content, clay, organic carbon, total nitrogen, available phosphorous, cation exchange capacity (CEC), exchangeable K+ and Na+ were significantly (P<0.05) lower while silt, pH and electric conductivity (EC) were significantly (P<0.05) higher for cultivated site respect to uncultivated site. However, bulk density, sand, exchangeable Mg2+ and Ca2+ were not significantly (P>0.05) affected. Hence, planning wise use strategy for sustainable management of wetlands is essential. Key words: Wetland cultivation, species composition, soil physico-chemical properties, South-Bench District. 
Highlights
Wetlands are diverse in types and defined differently across the world
From 29 plant species observed in uncultivated site, 28 species were identified as wetland plants and 11 species were exclusively observed in uncultivated site
Changes in wetland hydrology and wetland cultivation were the most determinant factor for changing in wetland plant composition, diversity and soil characteristics linked to soil fertility
Summary
Wetlands are diverse in types and defined differently across the world. The most commonly used definition is that of Ramsar Convention which defines wetlands as ‘areas of marsh, fen, peatlands or water, whether natural or artificial, permanent or temporary, with water that is static or flowing, fresh, brackish or salt, including areas of marine water the depth of which at low tide does not exceed six meters’ (Ramsar ConventionSecretariat, 2011). License 4.0 International License increase is driven partly by increasing number of population, deterioration of upland soil, economic and financial motivation (Schuyt, 2005) and increasing issues of food security in developing countries (Taiwo, 2013). It supplements the upland soils where soil productivity and crop yields have declined due to improper land use and management, soil erosion and degradation (Ogban et al, 2011). The continuous use of wetlands for cultivation has the potential to degrade their fragile ecosystems and undermine their capacity to provide ecological services (Morardet et al, 2010)
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