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Influence of Earthworm Activity on Soil Aggregation

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Influence of Earthworm Activity on Soil Aggregation INFLUENCE OF INDIGENOUS TREES ON SOIL MACROFAUNA AND SOIL ORGANIC MATTER DYNAMICS IN TROPICAL MIOMBO WOOLANDS Lelei David Kipkorir A THESIS SUBMITTED IN FULLFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE AWARD OF THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHYLOSOPHY IN SOIL SCIENCE DEPARTMENT OF LAND RESOURCE MANAGEMENT AND AGRICULTURAL TECHNOLOGY FACULTY OF AGRICULTURE COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE AND VETERINARY SCIENCES UNIVERSITY OF NAIROBI NOVEMBER, 2015 i DECLARATION This study is my original work and has not been presented for a degree in any other university. __________________________ __________________ David Kipkorir Lelei Date Declaration by university supervisors This thesis has been submitted for examination with my/our approval as University supervisors. ___________________________ __________________ Prof. Nancy Karanja Date __________________________ __________________ Dr. Fredrick O. Ayuke Date Department of LARMAT, University of Nairobi __________________________ __________________ Dr. Edmundo Barrios Date World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF), Nairobi __________________________ __________________ Dr. Keith Shepherd Date World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF), Nairobi ii DEDICATION To my parents Mr. and Mrs. Joshua Chumo, who deprived themselves of the comfort to make sure I went to school. To my wife Juliana, you have been my support and encouragement. To my daughters, Ruth, Phoebe, Deborah, Hope and Esther, you provided a peacefull studying environment. iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENT The study was supported by World Agroforestry Centre in collaboration with the University of Nairobi and I thank the two institutions for the support. I also take this opportunity to express my thanks to my supervisors Prof. Nancy Karanja and Dr. Fredrick Ayuke (University of Nairobi) and Dr. Edmundo Barrios and Dr. Keith Shepherd (World Agroforestry Centre Nairobi) for their tireless efforts to peruse through this thesis and for their constant expert guidance, advice and support throughout all the stages of the research work. Special thanks go to Ric Coe, and Andrew Sila for their contribution in the statistical analysis. Many thanks go to ICRAF SD1 and SD4 staff for their support during the entire research period. I am indebted to Mercy Nyambura, John Nyaga, Solomon Kamau, Elvis Weulow and Lukelysia Nyawira for their support and assistance during laboratory analysis. My gratitudes also go to ICRAF library staff for allowing me to use the library facilities and always being there for me throughout the entire research period. I would wish to express my special appreciations to AfSIS for allowing me to use their Kiberashi Sentinel Site for my study and CIAT staff Arusha office for their assistance in obtaining the Tanzania soil permits. I also thank Kilindi District Agricultural, Irrigation and Cooperatives Officer and the local Government officers for granting me the opportunity and freedom to carry out the study in Kibirashi and Kisangasa Wards, Kilindi District. To my family, a lot of thanks for their encouragement and support during the entire research work. Above all, I thank the Almighty God for granting me sufficient strength and grace to accomplish this study. iv Table of Contents DECLARATION......................................................................................................... ii DEDICATION............................................................................................................ iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ......................................................................................... iv LIST OF TABLES ................................................................................................... viii LIST OF APPENDICES ........................................................................................... ix ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS ....................................................................x GENERAL ABSTRACT .......................................................................................... xii CHAPTER ONE ..........................................................................................................1 1.0 INTRODUCTION..................................................................................................1 1.1 Background information ......................................................................................1 1.2 Statement of the problem statement .....................................................................4 1.3 Objectives ............................................................................................................5 1.4 Research questions ...............................................................................................5 CHAPTER TWO .........................................................................................................8 2.0 GENERAL MATERIALS AND METHODS .....................................................8 2.1 Study site ..............................................................................................................8 2.2 Reasons for choosing the study site .....................................................................9 2.3 Research activities .............................................................................................10 CHAPTER THREE ...................................................................................................11 3.0 LITERATURE REVIEW ...................................................................................11 CHAPTER FOUR ......................................................................................................16 EFFECTS OF INDIGENOUS TREES AND SOIL PROPERTIES ON SOIL MACROFAUNA ABUNDANCE AND SPATIAL DISTRIBUTION IN MIOMBO WOODLANDS ........................................................................................16 Abstract ....................................................................................................................16 4.0. Introduction .......................................................................................................17 4.1 Materials and methods .......................................................................................19 4.2 Measurement of selected agroecological factors ...............................................21 4.3 Soil analyses.......................................................................................................22 4.4 Data analysis ......................................................................................................24 4.5 Results ................................................................................................................25 4.6 Discussion ..........................................................................................................30 CHAPTER FIVE .......................................................................................................37 v EVALUATION OF FARMERS’ KNOWLEDGE ON TREES, SOIL MACROFAUNA AND THEIR INTERACTION IN MIOMBO WOODLANDS ......................................................................................................................................37 Abstract ....................................................................................................................37 5.1 Introduction ........................................................................................................38 5.2 Materials and methods .......................................................................................40 5.3 Data processing and analysis .............................................................................43 5.4 Results ................................................................................................................43 5.5 Discussion ..........................................................................................................49 CHAPTER SIX ..........................................................................................................53 EVALUATING THE EFFECT OF INDIGENOUS TREE SPECIES ON SOIL MACROFAUNA, CARBON DYNAMIC AND NUTRIENT AVAILABILITY IN MIOMBO WOODLANDS ........................................................................................53 Abstract ....................................................................................................................53 6.1 Introduction ........................................................................................................54 6.2. Materials and methods ......................................................................................57 6.3 Laboratory analyses ...........................................................................................59 6.4 Data analysis ......................................................................................................62 6.5 Results ................................................................................................................63 6.6 Discussions ........................................................................................................79 CHAPTER SEVEN ....................................................................................................84 INFLUENCE OF RESIDUE QUALITY ON THE PHYSICAL STABILITY OF EARTHWORM CASTS AND CARBON ACCUMULATION: ...........................84 A MICROCOSM STUDY .........................................................................................84 Abstract ....................................................................................................................84 7.1 Introduction ........................................................................................................85
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