Browsing by Author "Masota, Abel Malyango"

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Valuing water resource for baga watershed management using water poverty index (WPI), Lushoto, Tanzania
(Sokoine university of agriculture,, 2009) Masota, Abel Malyango
The study to assess and evaluate factors contributing to scarcity of water and compute water poverty index (WPI) for identifying priority areas for interventions in Baga watershed was undertaken in Lushoto district, Tanzania. Specific objectives of this study were to identify and assess factors contributing to scarcity of water, compute WPI for villages and identification of priority areas for interventions in Baga watershed. Data were collected from households through questionnaire survey and PRA tools. Data analysis was done using Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS). WPI values were calculated using equation developed by Sullivan (2002). The results indicated that, scarcity of water in Baga watershed was contributed by many factors including increased human activities, global warming; and other factors. The other factors were seasonal water variations, gender inequalities in water collection for households, water quality and quantity, sources of domestic water, physical characteristics and distances to water sources. Computed WPI components for Baga watershed were resource (81.9), Use (55.6), access (54.4), capacity (27.7) and environment (10.3). Environment component scored lowest due to effects of low human capacity in water management affecting more the environment component. Additionally, low human capacity contributed also to low score of access component. Priority areas for interventions in Baga watershed were identified to be capacity and access components. It was concluded that increased human activities in watershed, global warming, seasonal water variations, gender inequalities in collecting domestic water, physical land terrains and distances toii water sources contributed to scarcity of water in Baga watershed. And that for integrated natural resource management (INRM) in Baga watershed to bring intended results, priorities for interventions should be given to human capacity and access components of WPI. It is recommended that WPI should be studied in other parts of Tanzania to identify priority areas for interventions in water management.
Volume models for single trees in tropical rainforests in Tanzania
(Journal of Energy and Natural Resources, 2014) Masota, Abel Malyango; Zahabu, Eliakimu; Malimbwi, Rogers Ernest; Bollandsås, Ole Martin; Eid, Tron Haakon
The present study was the first to develop total tree, stem and branches volume models for rainforests in southeastern Africa based on destructive sampling. The number of sample trees was 60 and diameter at breast height (dbh) and total tree height (h) ranged from 6 to 117 cm and from 6.4 m to 50 m, respectively. Large parts of the total volume and stem volume variations were explained by the models (Pseudo-R2 ranged from 0.85 to 0.93) and they performed relatively well over different size classes. When considering the challenges in height measurements in rainforests, we in general recommend applying model 3 with dbh only as independent variable. For large trees we recommend model 2 (dbh and h as independent variables) because of the moderating effect h has on volume predictions. If accurate stem volumes are needed for forestry licensing or for calculating compensation of timber loss, we also recommend model 2. As long as the allometry of the trees obviously is not different from that of our study site, the developed models may also be applied for rainforests elsewhere in Tanzania, but further testing of the models is also recommended.