Effects of cultivation on soil seed bank flora of Borana Rangeland, Southern Ethiopia
Oromia Agricultural Research Institute, Yabello Pastoral and Dryland Agriculture Research Center, P. O. Box 85, Yabello, Ethiopia.
Research Article
Comprehensive Research and Reviews in Biology and Pharmacy, 2022, 01(01), 035–041.
Article DOI: 10.57219/crrbp.2022.1.1.0036
Publication history:
Received on 16 July 2022; revised on 28 August 2022; accepted on 02 September 2022
Abstract:
The effects of cultivation on soil seed bank flora of Borana rangeland were examined under three land use systems (Enclosure land, open grazing land, and different ages cultivated land). Soil seed bank sampling was carried out at the end of the growing season from 0.25m2 quadrates at 30 mm deep. Of the total plant species identified in the soil seed bank, 34.6% were grasses and 65.4% were forbs species. From the nine grass species recorded, four were identified as highly desirable, two as desirable and three as less desirable. From the highly desirable group, Dactyloctenium aegyptium was found to be common and dominant at the three land use systems of the enclosure, open grazing and cultivated lands for less than five years, while highly desirable species perennial grass like Cenchrus ciliaris and Chlorisrox burghiana were only found in enclosure lands. The species richness of enclosure, open grazing and cultivated 1-5 years land were higher respectively while cultivated land more than 10 years was the least. There were significant differences (P < 0.05) in soil texture between land uses of the study sites. Due to cultivation pressure, more than ten years of cultivated land has more sandy soil than the remaining rangeland of the study areas. Generally long periods of cultivation and grazing pressure have negative impacts on Borana rangeland soil seed bank flora whiles enclosure land has higher values in restoring and sustaining the productivity of rangeland ecosystems. Therefore, a rangeland land use policy is required to sustain the productivity of rangeland through developing appropriate land use plans for each land use type of rangeland that is used to reduce the impact of rangeland ecosystem deterioration. Practices of rangeland management like resting of rangeland through enclosure, and moderate grazing with rotation grazing systems should be developed and strengthened in order to sustain rangeland ecosystem and feed resource productivities.
Keywords:
Enclosure; Cultivation; Species composition; Species richness; Soil texture
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