Soil and Land Use Catenas. a Case Study of Amani Sub-Catchment, East Usambara Mountains, Tanzania
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INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR AEROSPACE SURVEY AND EARTH SCIENCES SOIL AND LAND USE CATENAS. A CASE STUDY OF AMANI SUB-CATCHMENT, EAST USAMBARA MOUNTAINS, TANZANIA By: Pitio Ndyeshumba SOIL AND LAND USE CATENAS. A CASE STUDY OF AMANI SUB-CATCHMENT, EAST USAMBARA MOUNTAINS, TANZANIA By: Pitio Ndyeshumba SUPERVISOR Dr W. Siderius CO-SUPERVISOR D. Shrestha MSc Submitted as a partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Soil survey at the International Institute for Aerospace survey and Earth Sciences (ITC), Enschede, The Netherlands Degree Assessment Board Prof. Dr. J.A. Zinck Dr. M.A. Mulders (external examiner) Drs. L.A. Van Sleen Dr. W. Siderius INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR AEROSPACE SURVEY AND EARTH SCIENCES ITC ENSCHEDE THE NETHERLANDS ACKNOWLEDGEMENT This study could not have been successfully completed without appreciable contribution of many people who in one way or another rendered their painstaking efforts. I am extremely grateful for the support extended to me. Just to mention a few are:- Dr. W. Siderius, my supervisor and director of studies for SOL2 for his appreciable help, constructive criticism, constant incouragement and guidence and his petience in dealing with me. Mr Drhuba Shrestha, my co-supervisor for his support and constructive comments and ideas. Professor A. J. Zinck, the head of soil survey division for his advice and encouragements. Ir E.Bergsma, for his support during and after fieldwork. Ir Van Sleen also for his support during and after field work. Also I would like to thank all soil survey division staff for their academic and moral support I received from them during the whole period. In particular, Dr. C. Valenzuela and Messrs Farshad , Henneman. I would like to acknowledge and thank all lecturers and staff of ITC who unselfishly impart their knowledge and techniques. My gratitude also goes to PhD, Msc students of soil survey and the course participants of SOL3( 1994-1995) for their moral support and assistance. I particularly thank my colleagues Messrs. Kaswamila and Mafalacusser for their continous co-operation and incouragement during the whole period. Special thanks goes to all Tanzanian students of (1994-1995) for their encouragement and social contact. My special gratitude goes to the National Soil Service, the director of ARI Mlingano and the Ministry of Agriculture and the Government of Tanzania for allowing me to pursue my studies in the Netherlands. In addition I would like to thank the Winand Staring Centre for outstanding financial support in particularly the help by Mr Ari Van Kekem. I would also like to acknowledge the perseverance and understanding of my family, my wife Agnes, my daughter Claire and my mother Elizabeth Kengaro. This work is dedicated to my Uncle Christian Mbaze who passed away during my study time. II List of figures LIST OF FIGURES 3.1 A soil catena in hypothetical landscape 9 3.2 Catena and erosion process under constant climatic conditions 11 3.3 Changes of solum thicknes with slope angle 13 3.4 Different horizon possible changes along catena 16 4.1.1 Rainfall distribution of Amani sub-catchment 25 4.2 East Usambara mountain croosection 29 5.1 Methodologica folw chart 42 6.3.1 Mbomole catena crossection 45 6.3.2 Lukungwi catena crossection 55 6.3.3 Shebomeza catena crossection 62 6.3.4 Land use catena occurence 71 IV \ - List of'tables LIST OF TABLES 4.1 Selected climatological data of Amani sub-catchment 24 6.4.1.1 Field soil profile description data for Mbomole catena profile no.AM9406 47 6.4.1.2 Field soil profile description data for Mbomole catena profile no.AM9407 49 6.4.1.3 Field soil profile description data for Mbomole catena profile no.AM9405 50 6.4.2.1 Field soil profile description data for Lukungwi catena profile no.AM9408 57 6.4.2.2 Field soil profile description data for Lukungwi catena profile no.AM9402 58 6.4.2.3 Field soil profile description data for Lukungwi catena profile no.AM9401 60 6.4.3.1 Field soil profile description data for Shebomeza catena profile no.AM9404 63 6.4.3.2 Field soil profile description data for Shebomeza catena profile no.AM9409 66 6.4.3.3 Field soil profile description data for Shebomeza catena profile no.AM9403 67 6.4.4 Local soil nomenclature 67 6.4.5 Common field profile characteristics for three catenas, Mbomole.Lukungwi and Shebomeza 68 6.4.6 Mean analytical data for soil profiles along catena transect for Mbomole,Lukungwi and Shebomeza 69 6.7.1 Soil related constraints along catena 79 6.7.2 Non soil related constraints along catena 79 6.8.1 Land quality land use type matching, summit shoulder complex 82 - List of tables 6.8.2 Land quality land use type matching for backslope 83 6.8.3 Land quality land use type matching for lower backsloppe 84 VI List of plates LIST OF PLATES Plate no.l Soil profile no. AM9406 at Mbomole catena 126 Plate no. 2 Soil profile no. AM9405 at Mbomole catena 126 Plate no.3 Soil profile no. AM9404 at Shebomeza catena 127 Plate no.4 Soil profile no. AM9409 at Shebomeza catena 127 Plate no.5 Soil profile no. AM9408 at Lukungwi catena 128 Plate no.6 Soil profile no. AM9402 at Lukungwi catena 128 Plate no.7 Soil profile no. AM9401 at Lukungwi catena 129 Plate no.8 Sugarcane processing at the backslope of Shebomeza catena 129 Plate no.9 Sugarcane harvest at the backslope of Shebomeza catena 130 Plate no. 10 Part of Amani subcatchment is used for commercial tea plantation as seen on the background . 130 Plate no. 11 Cinnamon is the land use type mainly for the lower backslope 131 Plate no. 12 Cassava on the backgroud of the the backslope of Shebomeza catena 132 Plate no. 13 Banana plants as seen on the lower backslope as one of the mainlower backslope land use type 132 Plate no. 14 On the lower backslope with banana cinnnamon on the background of Lukungwi catena 133 Plate no. 15 Guatemala grass is also one of the main land use types of the the backslope as seen on Lukungwi catena backslope 134 VII Abstract ABSTRACT This study aims 1) to analyze the possible occurrence of soil catenas and associated land use, 2) study their development and 3) comment on their relationship. The study area is located on the eastern Usambara mountains in NE Tanzania and was restricted to Amani sub-catchment. Access is reasonable to good over murrain and tarr roads. The area used to be under natural forest but this cover has changed considerably over the past decades because of migration of people from the surrounding lowlands into the mountains. The climate in the area is classified as Tropical Savanna. The soil exhibits an ustic moisture regime and hyperthermic temperature regime. Rainfall distribution is bimodal with two distinct rainy seasons, the main rainy season with the peak in April and a weak one in October. The growing period is mainly from March to September. The underlying geology consists of precambrian basement rocks, many gneiss, quartz vains may be present resulting in the occurrence of quartz gravel on top and in the soil. The entire East Usambara mountains consists of mountains. This landscape is described as structural mountains which have been formed as a result of the erosion of a large anticline. The summit levels are approximately at the same elevation, while the steep mountain sides could be described as an escarpment with a predeposed footslope, therefore the term mountain plateau is used in local literature. The area is strongly dissected giving rise to V-shaped valleys. From the summit to the bottom the following landforms occur. The summit shoulder complex-the backslope-to the footslope. Among these landscapes three sample sites were selected to study soil catenas and land use catenas. At macro level three main soil types were recognised as follows. The high hill and ridges with Typic Kandiustult. The lower convex summit hills and slope facet complex have according to USD A Soil Taxonomy, Typic Kandiustalfs while the structural controlled alluvium vales have Typic Endoaqualfs. In the lower hills the Typic Kandiustalfs were subdivided to form catena elements which were then classified up to soil phase level. Soil investigations at micro level in the study area showed that soils are well developed resulting in A-B-C-R profile development. Soil development along catena pertain mainly to A horizon formation, soil depth, soil chemical constituents variation, gravel content and surface soil characteristics. According to the USDA Soil Taxonomy the soils belongs to Ustalfs and classified as Typic Kandiustalfs at family level. While according to soil phase the soils on the summit are Typic Kandiustalfs, eroded clays, on the backslope the soils are Typic Kandiustalfs, very steep eroded and on the lower backslope the soils are Typic Kandiustalfs eroded, very steep gravelly. VIII Abstract Both external and internal soil characteristics which includes, gravel content, slope form and steepness, horizon thickness, horizon arrangements, soil physical characteristics like texture, structure, porosity and chemical constituents in the soil along catena have revealed translocation and depositional processes that have resulted into soil differentiation along catena. Chemical constituents values shows that the summit shoulder have lower values than the backslope and the lower backslope exhibits higher values than the upper slopes. It appears that the chosen soil properties sufficiently demonstrates well the difference in soils. The differences between soils along catena are caused mainly by surface processes such soil erosion and soil deposition, internal soil development processes such as subsurface translocation of chemical constituents.