Vegetation Composition, Forage Biomass and Soil Seed Bank of a Continuously Grazed Rangeland Site in Tropical Sub-Humid Environment, Tanzania
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Date
2022-06
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
SET Publisher (Journal of Basic & Applied Sciences)
Abstract
Most rangelands along the agro-pastoral villages of Tanzania are yearlong grazed
and at various states of degradation. These rangelands contribute to over 60% of
the meat and milk production in the country. An inventory was conducted to assess
the status of grazing resources in a typical agro-pastoral village of Tanzania having
communal rangelands. Systematic random sampling techniques were employed
whereby line transects and quadrat frame were used following standard
procedures to collect samples and undertake field measurements for both
vegetation and soil parameters. The vegetation cover for desirable pasture
species, undesirable pasture species and litter were 67.7%, 10.5% and 9.4%,
respectively. The soil bare patches covered 12.3 % of the surveyed rangeland site.
The most dominant grass species were Enteropogon macrostachyus, Bothriochloa
insculpta and Heteropogon contortus. Forage dry matter (DM) yield was 806.8 kg
DM/ha. Tree density was 1500 trees/ha and the total canopy cover was 63.49%.
Combretum collinum was the most dominant tree species. Soil bulk density, pH,
3
organic carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium were 1.4 g/cm , 6.3%, 1.14%,
0.09%, 0.89 mg/kg and 0.33 g/kg, respectively. A total of 11 dicotyledonous
species mainly forbs and 9 monocotyledonous species including two perennial
grasses were revealed from the incubated soil samples. The findings of this study
demonstrate that the communal grazing areas have low pasture productivity, poor
soil seed-bank and high cover of woody plants mainly bushes. In order, to improve
forage biomass at the study site and elsewhere with similar environments selective
bush clearing and re-seeding should be considered.
Description
Journal Article
Keywords
Rangeland, vegetation cover, bush encroachment, communal grazing
Citation
Mdegela TE, Maleko DD, Msalya GM, Mtengeti EJ. Vegetation composition, forage biomass and soil seed bank of a continuously grazed rangeland site in tropical sub-humid environment, tanzania. J Basic Appl Sci 2022; 18.