Impacts of climate-smart soil and water conservation practices and slope gradient on selected soil chemical properties in Eastern Ethiopia: A case study of the Kulkullessa Sub-watershed, Goro Gutu District
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.55779/ng43186Keywords:
adaptation, climate-smart agriculture, micronutrients, mitigation, soil propertiesAbstract
The productivity and sustainability of agricultural systems are heavily influenced by soil fertility and physicochemical properties. This study investigated the effects of climate-smart soil and water conservation (SWC) practices and slope gradient on selected soil physicochemical properties and soil organic carbon stock (SOCS) in the Kulkullessa Sub-Watershed of Goro Gutu District, Eastern Ethiopia. The research focused on farmland conserved by stone bunds (SB), bench terraces (BT), and grass strips (GS) five years post-implementation, across two slope gradients (15-20% and 21-30%). Twenty-four composite soil samples were collected from a depth of 0-20 cm and analyzed at the Haramaya University soil laboratory. Results demonstrated that climate-smart SWC practices significantly improved soil physicochemical properties and SOCS in the study area. Slope gradients also induced considerable variations in these parameters. Conserved farmland and areas with lower slope gradients exhibited higher clay content and lower sand fractions. Bench terraces were associated with lower bulk density (BD) and significantly higher total porosity (p ≤ 0.05). Conserved farmlands showed higher electrical conductivity (EC) and lower pH values, both statistically significant (p ≤ 0.05). Stone bunds were most effective in increasing soil organic matter (SOM) content and total nitrogen (TN). Climate-smart SWC practices also enhanced exchangeable bases in the farmlands. Cation exchange capacity (CEC) was significantly improved (p ≤ 0.05) on farmland conserved by SB and BT. In conclusion, climate-smart SWC practices demonstrated substantial potential for improving agriculturally and environmentally relevant soil physicochemical properties and organic carbon stocks. These findings underscore the importance of such conservation measures in enhancing soil quality and promoting sustainable agriculture in the region.
Metrics
References
Abay C, Abdu A, Tefera M (2016). Effects of graded stone bunds on selected soil properties in the central highlands of Ethiopia. International Journal of Natural Resource Ecology and Management 1(2):42-50. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijnrem.20160102.15
Aytenew M (2015). Effect of slope gradient on selected soil physicochemical properties of Dawja watershed in Enebse Sar Midir District, Amhara National Regional State. American Journal of Scientific And Industrial Research 6(4):74-81.
Burt R (2009). Soil Survey Staff 2014. Soil Survey Field and Laboratory Methods Manual. Soil Survey Investigations Report No. 51, Version 2.0. R. Burt and Soil Survey Staff (Ed). US Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service.
Chota MK (2019). Effect of slope gradient on selected soil physico chemical property and macronutrient status from coffee farms in Gomma District, Southwestern Ethiopia. Doctoral dissertation, Jimma University.
CSO (2008). CSO – Central Statistical Office. Population and Housing Census Atlas of Ethiopia 2007. International Food Policy Research Institute. https://doi.org/10.2499/9780896299276
Degu M, Melese A, Tena W (2019). Effects of soil conservation practice and crop rotation on selected soil physicochemical properties: the case of Dembecha District, Northwestern Ethiopia. Applied and Environmental Soil Science 6910879. https://doi.org/10.1155/2019/6910879
FAO (2016). Ethiopia climate-smart agriculture scoping study. Rome: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), Rome. www.fao.org/3/a-i5518e.pdf
Feyissa S (2006). Characterization and classification of soils of Maichew Agricultural Technical and Vocational Education and Training College, Tigray, Ethiopia. Doctoral dissertation, Haramaya University, Haramaya.
Flynn R (2015). Interpreting soil tests: Unlock the secrets of your soil. Cooperative Extension Service, College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences, New Mexico State University: Las Cruces, NM, USA pp 1-12.
Hazelton P, Murphy B (2016). Interpreting soil test results: What do all the numbers mean? Third Edition. CSIRO Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1071/9781486303977
KNMI (2021). Climate explorer and European centre for medium-range weather forecasts. Retrieved 2021 September 10 from http://climexp.knmi.nl
Lal R (2015). Restoring soil quality to mitigate soil degradation. Sustainability 7(5):5875-5895. https://doi.org/10.3390/su7055875
Malo M, Jember G, Woodfine AC (2010). Strengthening capacity for climate change adaptation in the agriculture sector in Ethiopia. In: Proceedings from National Workshop held in Nazareth, Ethiopia pp 5-6.
Mekonnen S (2014). The role of climate smart agricultural practices for soil quality and crop production: A case study in Ambo woreda, West Shewa, Oromia Region, Ethiopia. Addis Ababa University Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Melese G (2019). Farmer’s response to climate change and variability in Ethiopia. A review. Cogent Food and Agriculture 5:1613770. https://doi.org/10.1080/23311932.2019.1613770
Murphy S, Gimenez D, Muldowney L, Heckman J (2012). Soil organic matter level and interpretation [FS1136]. Rutgers: New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station. Retrieved 2024 January 12 from https://njaes.rutgers.edu/pubs/publication.php?pid=FS1136
Nnabude P, Nweke I, Ekwealor K (2016). Integrated effect of slope classes and different soil depths on soil physicochemical properties of watershed ecosystem. American Journal of Environment and Sustainable Development 1:11-16.
Nortcliff S, Hulpke H, Bannick CG, Terytze K, Knoop G, Bredemeier M, Schulte-Bisping H (2011). Soil, 1. Definition, Function, and Utilization of Soil. Ullmann’s Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry 33:399-419. https://doi.org/10.1002/14356007.b07_613.pub3
Olsen SR, Barber SA (2015). Effect of waste application on soil phosphorus and potassium. ASA, CSSA, and SSSA Books, 195-215. https://doi.org/10.2134/1977.soilsformanagementoforganic.c8
Shi R, Zhang Y, Chen X, Sun Q, Zhang F, Römheld V, Zou C (2010). Influence of long-term nitrogen fertilization on micronutrient density in grain of winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). Journal of Cereal Science 51(1):165-170. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcs.2009.11.008
Solomon D, Lehmann J, Mamo T, Fritzsche F, Zech W (2002). Phosphorus forms and dynamics as influenced by land use changes in the sub-humid Ethiopian highlands. Geoderma 105:21-48. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0016-7061(01)00090-8
Teressa D (2017). The effectiveness of stone bund to maintain soil physical and chemical properties: The case of Weday Watershed, East Hararge Zone, Oromia, Ethiopia. Civil and Environmental Research 9:9-18.
Tiki L, Tadesse M, Yimer F (2015). Effects of integrating different soil and water conservation measures into hillside area closure on selected soil properties in Hawassa Zuria District, Ethiopia. Journal of Soil Science and Environmental Management 6:268-274. https://doi.org/10.5897/JSSEM15.0513
USDA/SCS (1987). USDA/SCS (United States Department of Agriculture/Soil Conservation Service) USDA Textural Classification Study Guide: Soil Mechanics Level I Module 3.
Walkley A, Black CA (1934). An examination of the Degtjareff method for determining soil organic matter, and a proposed modification of the chromic acid titration method. Soil Science 37:29-38.
Wolka K, Moges A, Yimer F (2011). Effects of level soil bunds and stone bunds on soil properties and its implications for crop production: the case of Bokole watershed, Dawuro zone, Southern Ethiopia. Agricultural Sciences 2:357-363. http://dx.doi.org/10.4236/as.2011.23047
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2024 Abduletif A. MUME, Samuel FEYISSA, Petros CHAVULA, Abebe ASCHALEW
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Distribution - Permissions - Copyright
Papers published in Nova Geodesia are Open-Access, distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution License.
© Articles by the authors; licensee SMTCT, Cluj-Napoca, Romania. The journal allows the author(s) to hold the copyright/to retain publishing rights without restriction.
License:
Open Access Journal - the journal offers free, immediate, and unrestricted access to peer-reviewed research and scholarly work, due to SMTCT support to increase the visibility, accessibility and reputation of the researchers, regardless of geography and their budgets. Users are allowed to read, download, copy, distribute, print, search, or link to the full texts of the articles, or use them for any other lawful purpose, without asking prior permission from the publisher or the author.
