Inter-structural Space Effect of Fanya juu and Soil Bund Soil and Water Conservation Structures on Selected Soil Properties: In the Case of Habru District, North Ethiopia

Muluneh Bogale

doi:10.7176/jees/10-3-01

Abstract

Land degradation is one of the most serious environmental problems in Ethiopia. To halt the problem, large scale soil and water conservation (SWC) practices such as; fanya juu, soil bund and other physical structures were implemented in the different parts of the country including Habru district. However, development of fertility gradient between the two successive SWC structures makes debatable to use the implemented structures in the sustainable manner. The study aimed at evaluating the spatial variability in soil properties between inter-structural-terrace area. Representative Kutaye catchment was deliberately selected based on the availability of fanya juu and soil bund. Then the catchment was sub-divided into two sub-watersheds, cropland treated with fanya juu and cropland treated with soil bund based on the structural dominance. Inter-structure-terrace plots were independently selected and systematically replicated (second, fourth and sixth) between two SWC structures for the purpose of soil sampling. In order to evaluate selected soil property variation, the soil samples were taken following the contour between the two successive structures. Additionally, undisturbed core samples were collected for the bulk density analysis. The samples were analyzed following standard laboratory procedure and parameters like; soil texture, bulk density (Bd), soil reaction (pH), organic carbon (OC), total nitrogen (TotN) available phosphorus (AvP), cation exchange capacity (CEC), exchangeable potassium (K+) and electrical conductivity (EC) were determined. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS v.20 software. Parameter relative distance was created for allowing comparison; because the distance between the successive SWC structures were highly variable. One-way ANOVA was used; selected soil properties as dependent and relative distance (inter-structure area) as independent variables. Tukey (HSD test) was used for mean separation between relative distance at p < 0.05. The result revealed that soil properties percentage of sand and clay significantly influenced by inter-structure-spaces plots treated with fanya juu at p < 0.05. In both SWC structures, cation exchange capacity (CEC), exchangeable potassium (K+) and bulk density (Bd) were significantly (p < 0.05) affected with inter-structure space. In order to manage variation in some soil properties between the successive SWC inter-structures-space area; optimizing its’ inter-structural terrace space and application of site-specific soil management practices were suggested with appropriate contour ploughing. Keywords: Fanya juu, Inter-structural space, Land degradation, Soil bund, Soil property, Soil and water conservation, Soil and Water Conservation practices DOI: 10.7176/JEES/10-3-01 Publication date: March 31 st 2020

Highlights

Land degradation in the form of soil erosion, depletion of surface and ground water and loss of biodiversity are among the principal global environmental problems that are an obstacle for development and food security prospect (Kessler et al, 2008; Shiene, 2012)
Analysis of variance (Table 2) deduces that, there was a significant difference between relative distance in relation to clay and sand contents of the soil texture in fanya juu soil and water conservation (SWC) of the successive structures
Land degradation is one of the most important environmental problems that hinders the productive capacity of farm plots and thereby negatively affects community livelihoods in Ethiopia

Summary

Introduction

Land degradation in the form of soil erosion, depletion of surface and ground water and loss of biodiversity are among the principal global environmental problems that are an obstacle for development and food security prospect (Kessler et al, 2008; Shiene, 2012). Some forms are the result of interaction of normal natural processes of physical shaping of the landscape and high intensity of rainfall. With the increase in human interaction with nature due to high population, the extent and scale of the problem has been dramatically increased (Tadele et al, 2011). Among the forms of land degradation, severity of soil degradation is most common and curtail in SubSaharan African countries. Occurrence of severely degraded soils is very high. Out of 350 million hectares of the total land area of the region 100 million hectares were estimated to be severely degraded (Zingore et al, 2015)

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