Ethiopian Journals Online (EJOL)
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CHARACTERISTICS AND CLASSIFICATION OF THE SOILS OF THE PLATEAU OF SIMEN MOUNTAINS NATIONAL PARK (SMNP), ETHIOPIA
Get PDFThe Simen Mountains National Park (SMNP) is found in the Simen Mountains (NorthGonder). Detailed soil survey (scale 1:25 000) was conducted to classify, characterise and determinestatus of the soils of the plateau of SMNP. Umbric Andosols, Luvic Andosols and Mollic-Lithic Leptosolswere found to be the major soil types. Land use and topographic attributes affected many of thecharacteristics of the soils. Thickness of total and topsoil depth decreased with increase in slopegradient and altitude. Whereas the whole of the study area was once covered by dark topsoil, thischaracteristic was lost in many of the cultivated soils. Under natural conditions, the soils had high levelsof andic properties (which fixed P availability) and high contents of surface organic carbon (commonlyover 6%), and total nitrogen (>0.4%), available water holding capacity (over 30%) and CEC (>30 Cmolckg-1 soil). Contents of organic carbon, total nitrogen, available phosphorus, water holding capacity,levels of pH and topsoil depth were most sensitive to degradation and lowered in quality undercultivation, suggesting the need having awareness in their management under cultivated soils. Cropand animal production expanded to higher altitudes and steeper slopes (>80%) where the rare wildanimals existed, which would cause their displacement and extinction. Therefore, coexistence offarming population and wild animals could not become sustainable in the SMNP. This calls for adevelopment of sound land use plan in order to preserve (and conserve) natural resources in generaland the soil resources in particula
Assessing Human Impacts on the Greater Akaki River, Ethiopia Using Macroinvertebrates
Get PDFWe assessed the impacts of human activities on the Greater Akaki River using physicochemical parameters and macroinvertebrate metrics. Physicochemical samples and macroinvertebrates were collected bimonthly from eight sites established on the Greater Akaki River from February 2006 to April 2006. Eleven metrics representing richness, composition and tolerance/intolerance measures and which were thought to reveal changes along the river, were considered for the study. There was change in macroinvertebrate community structure as one proceeded from the upper reaches to the lower reaches along the Greater Akaki River. The upper reaches were characterized by greater number and diversity of taxa while the middle and lower reaches were dominated by fewer tolerant taxa. Spearman correlation analysis showed that metrics, expected to decrease with perturbation, had strong negative relationship with nutrients and measures of biological and chemical oxygen demand. Among the nutrients, most of these metrics had strong negative relationship with Ammonia. Change in structural organization of macroinvertebrates was attributed to nutrient enrichment and oxygen depletion. The study revealed that raw sewage and solid waste from residential and commercial centres, and runoff from impervious surfaces are responsible for the impairment in Greater Akaki River
ISOENZYME ANALYSIS OF FIVE ENDEMIC AND ONE WIDESPREAD KNIPHOFIA SPECIES (ASPHODELACEAE) OF ETHIOPIA
No full textThere are seven species of genus Kniphofia in Ethiopian flora. K. foliosa, K. hildebrandtii, K. insignis, K. isoetifolia, and K. schimperi are endemic. Kniphofia pumila and K. thomsonii are widespread from West Africa to Eastern and Central Africa. In this study the genetic diversity and the relationships between five endemic and one widespread Kniphofia species in Ethiopia was conducted based on isoenzymes systems. The electrophoretic analyses of four enzymes systems in the species from ten experimental sites in ten locations revealed seven putative loci, of which PGM-1, PGM-2, AAT-2 and GPI-2 were polymorphic. The species have displayed higher genetic diversity parameters than other endemic plants. The over all mean inbreeding coefficient (F) was positive indicating slight deficiency in the number of heterozygotes. The total genetic diversity varies from 0.5 in K. schimperi to 1.11 in K. isoetifolia indicating very low diversification between the populations with in a species. At the generic level HT ranges from 0.034 to 0.470 with a mean of 0.247. The genetic variation among the species (GST) is 6.6%. Over all mean of genetic distance (0.011) and genetic similarity (0.938) indicated high similarity among the populations. Despite morphological variation particularly in floral morphology and inflorescence architecture, the over all mean of unbiased genetic identity of the species (0.989) is much higher than described for congeneric species (I = 0.64). The results, therefore, indicate that the Ethiopian Kniphofia species share a fairly recent common ancestor, but have differentiated in floral and inflorescence character through rapid evolution. This hypothesis needs, however, further testing
ISOZYMES, PROTEIN AND ODAP VARIABILITY OF GRASSPEA (LATHYRUS SATIVUS L.) IN ETHIOPIA
No full textVariability of grass pea landrace populations for isozymes, Oxalyl Diamino Propanoic acid (ODAP) and protein contents were investigated following standard procedures to detect genetic variation. The result indicated that phenotypic polymorphism was observed for the three enzymes, the highest being for esterase. The degree of differentiation (FST) of the individual loci ranged from 0.031 (for ACP-3) to 0.784 (for AAT-2). The highest polymorphism was detected in populations collected from Gondar region indicating the need for priority germplasm collection and site selection for in situ conservation in this region. The ODAP and protein analyses also revealed presence of variability among the populations. Fortunately, four entries with low ODAP contents ranging from 0.14% to 0.18% were identified in populations collected from different regions indicating the variation of this trait within population and between regions. These lines with low ODAP content are obviously considered important for further breeding program
MAMMALS OF THE MAZIE NATIONAL PARK, SOUTHERN NATIONS, NATIONALITIES AND PEOPLES REGIONAL STATE, ETHIOPIA
No full textA study to investigate the diversity of the mammalian fauna of the Mazie National Park (MNP) was carried out from October 2007 to March 2008. Based on topographic maps, and a preliminary survey, four habitat types (riverine forest, grassland with scattered trees, savannah grassland, and bush land) were identified. Mammals were recorded in representative samples of each vegetation type in the park. A total of 39 mammalian species were recorded in MNP. Of these, 30 were medium to large-sized mammals, 6 were small rodents and 3 were shrews. The observed mammals of the study area were grouped into eight categories based on their feeding habits as meat eaters (23%), fruit and leaf eaters (8%), termite specialists (3%), root eaters (8%), grazers and browsers (10%), small gleaners (13%), bulk feeders (3%) and others (32%)
GENDER DIFFERENTIALS IN AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTIVITY AMONG SMALLHOLDERS IN ADA, LUME AND GIMBICHU WOREDAS OF THE CENTRAL HIGHLANDS OF ETHIOPIA
Get PDFIn 1996/97, a survey of 180 farmers (99 male farmers and 81 femalefarmers) was conducted in Ada, Lume and Gimbichu Woredas in the centralhighlands of Ethiopia to determine the gender differentials in agriculturalproductivity among smallholders. The evidence shows that male-headedhouseholds had more land, labor, and capital, particularly livestock (cattle),compared to female-headed households. It was also shown that male-headedhouseholds had more access to formal education compared to female-headedhouseholds. The production function analysjs showed that the elasticities forthe significant factors affecting the gross value of output of male-headedhouseholds were farmers ' age (-0.21), fertilizer (0.10), farm-size (0.56)
Environmental Ethics in Theory and Practical Application
No full textEnvironmental ethics is a critical study of the normative issues and principles relevant to the relationship between humans and the natural world. It covers various fields, ranging from the welfare of animals versus ecosystems to theories of the intrinsic value of nature. There are various approaches to environmental ethics. This paper examines some of the key positions presented by different environmental ethicists and their impacts on the natural environment. Some writers maintain that environmental ethics does not have a major contribution to make to the solution of environmental problems. However, this study and the contribution of many scholars show that environmental ethics has much to contribute to the solution of global environmental problems.Various governments and policy makers can bring the insights of environmental ethics into various natural resource management settings. The ideas of environmental ethicists have had an impact on the natural environment. Among others, the “Precautionary principle” is an ethical principle that is increasingly being embodied in the legislation of various governments. If environmental ethics broadens its scope and addresses the injustice done to the majority of poor and powerless people and to nonhuman species, it will have a paramount role in creating awareness within countries and globally about the actions of transnational corporations, irresponsible capitalist countries and local industries which damage the environment.Environmental ethicists may alert peasant farmers, pastoralists and other indigenous people to understand the long range effects of environmental degradation that are beyond the purview of local people and otherwise unavailable. Environmental ethicists with varied backgrounds can join peasant farmers and pastoralists who have multidimensional knowledge of the natural environment and help them develop further knowledge of it. The efforts of many people will one day bring change in favour of the majority of the people, nonhuman species, and the planet Earth. In fact, the paper stresses that environmental questions are not simply ethical. It suggests that the present power relations at the local and international levels should be changed in the direction of just and environmentally and socially sound development
Chruch, Nation and State: The Making of Modern Ethiopia, 1926-1991 - A Research Proposal
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Resource Scarcity and Degradation, and Farm Household Circumstances in the North-western Highland Ethiopia: A Case Study in the Chemoga Watershed
No full textIn Ethiopia, like in the other agriculture-based poor countries, there is a lieavy dependence on the land resource for livelihood. This dependence has been leading to degradation of the resource base, which impoverishes the population. Poverty and resource depletion are highly intertwined in the country, reinforcing each other in a vicious circle. This paper reports results of a survey of smallholder farmers’ circumstances in relation to the status of the land resource in a typical watershed (the Chemoga watershed) in the northwestem highlands of Ethiopia. The study reveals that the people are poor, living on average annual incomes ranging from Birr 779 to 1692 (1.00 birr
0.125 $US) per household which has 6.3 members on average. Land and livestock are the bases of livelihood for the people. Only very few households were found to be engaged in off-farm activities as additional sources of income.
On the other hand, land has become scarcc because of the increasing population, As witnessed by the surveyed households, landholdings per household have been declining; and productivity of croplands has declined over time. Likewise, there has been a decreasing trend in the number of livestock owned per household, while the total livestock population of the communities has increased and caused overgrazing and feed shortages, and necessitated the use of crop residues as livestock feed rather than soil conditioner. These negative trends in resource availability, while the population is increasing, suggest that the future is bleak. Hence, interventions that integrate development and conservation measures based on local-scale biophysical and socioeconomic realities are urgently needed. Generally, solutions should include improving productivity of the farming system through technical interventions, creating non-farm employment opportunities to the population and easing human and livestock population pressures on the land