How Much Woody Cover Is Enough?
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Institute of Plant production and Agroecology in the Tropics and Subtropics University of Hohenheim Agroecology in the Tropics and Subtropics PD.Dr.Anna Treydte The influence of land use and cover changes on the pastoral rangeland systems of southern Ethiopia - How much woody cover is enough? Dissertation Submitted in fulfillments of the requirements for the degree “ Doktor der Agrarwissenschaften” (Dr.sc.agr.) To the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences. Presented by Hasen Yusuf Mohammed, MSc. Stuttgart 2013 Date of oral examination: 07.03.2014 Examination committee: Supervisor and reviewer: Pd Dr. Anna Treydte Co-reviewer: Jun.-Prof. Dr. Uta Dickhöfer Additional examiner: Prof. Dr. rer. nat. Andreas Fangmeier Vice-dean of studies and head of the committee: Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Rainer Mosenthin Statement of uniqueness Author’s Declaration I, Hasen Yusuf, hereby affirm that I have written this thesis entitled “The influence of land use and cover changes on the pastoral rangeland systems of southern Ethiopia - How much woody cover is enough?” independently as my original work as part of my dissertation at the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences at Hohenheim University. All authors in the quoted or mentioned publications in this manuscript have been accredited. No piece of work by any person has been included without the author being cited, nor have I enlisted the assistance of commercial promotion agencies. This thesis has not been presented at any other board for examination. _______________________ ____________________ Hasen Yusuf Stuttgart 05.12.2013 0 Acknowledgement of the author The research work was funded by the Dr. Hermann Eiselen Ph.D. Grant from the Foundation fiat panis and the Food Security Center of the University of Hohenheim, while the PhD stipend was covered by DAAD (German Academic Exchange Service) program. First of all I would like to thank Professor Dr.Joachim Sauerborn for giving me an opportunity to join his working group and providing me unreserved support and cooperation through out my study period. This thesis would not have been achieved without the expert guidance of my supervisor, PD. Dr. Anna Treydte. I want to express my deep gratitude to her for starting as my supervisor, helping in setting up the tracks of the study, continuous follow up and encouragement throughout my study period. She was not only readily available for me, but also read and responded to the drafts of each manuscripts originated from my research work more quickly than I could have imagined. Thank you especially for your time, endurance and efforts you have put into my work throughout the study period and even after leaving Hohenheim. I want to thank Dr. Abule Ebro for providing me his expert advice and assistance during the execution and selection of research sites in Ethiopia, and reviewing and proof reading of the manuscripts produced from my research work. I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to all staff and colleagues in the Institute of Agroecology (380b) for all such friendly support and cooperation during my study period, especially Eva Schmidt, Michael Yongha Bo, Baset Garboni, Lenard Mounde. Samuel Addie Apukiya, Samuel Tufa, Marc Cotter, Inga Häuser, Resa Golbon, and Professor Konrad Martin, Sabine Baumgartner,Regina Belz, and Despina Savvidou, Thanks for providing me an intellectually stimulating and lovely working environment. I am especial thankful to the secretary Eva Shmidt for her extraordinary assistance in facilitating the housing condition throughout my stay in Hohenheim. I am deeply thankful to all staff of Food Security Center (FSC) of University of Hohenheim, especially Dr. Detlef Virchow, Dr.Brigitte Kranz, Helene Stauss, Dr. Andrea Jost for all support and cooperation especially in handling all the administrative matters related to my study and offering me stimulatory excursions and training workshops throughout the study period. 1 I would like to thank all staff of forage gene bank team at International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) in Addis Ababa Ethiopia. My especial thank goes to Dr. Alexandra Jorge and Yonas Asmare for collaboration to use their laboratory and assisting me during forage quality analysis. I would like to thank the cooperation of Wollega University for allowing me topursue my PhD study. I am especially grateful to Professor Fekadu Beyene, the president of University for his encouragement and unreserved support in various ways during my study period. I am also thankful to staff and friends at the Yabello Dryland Agricultural Research Center (YDARC) for moral and logistics support rendered me during my field research work. Especial thanks goes to my field assistants Gebeyew Eliyas and Bediru Roba. Acknowledgement is also due to Samuel Tufa, the center manager for hosting me in their guest house during my field work period. I am also particularly thankful to my German family I lived with them for two years Harald, Martina, Lisa, Kael, and Inga for their extraordinary assistance and encouragement in various ways during my course of studies. I thank my parents for their unconditioned support, prayers, and encouragement during this long stay abroad. Last but certainly not least, a very personal and especial thanks goes to my wife, Sada Mamude for being with me and a moral support rendered me in times of doubt when I certainly need help. 2 Overview of publications In order to comply with regulations for a cumulativePhD thesis at the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, three publications have been included into this work. As these publications have been prepared to fit the regulations of the different peer-reviewed scientific journals, the style, citations and the layout of the reference section may vary between chapters. Chapter 2 Hasen Yusuf M, Treydte, A.C., Abule, E., and Sauerborn J. (2013). Predicting aboveground biomass of encroacher woody species in semi-arid rangelands, Ethiopia. Journal of Arid Environments 96, 64 – 72. Chapter 3 Hasen Yusuf, M., Treydte ,A.C. E. Abule , and J. Sauerborn (in review).Managing semi-arid rangelands for carbon storage: Grazing and woody encroachment effects on aboveground C stock density submitted to Journal of Carbon Balance and Management on 19.11.2013(publisher's acknowledgement of receipt enclosed) Chapter 4 Hasen Yusuf, M. ,A.C. Treydte, and J. Sauerborn (in review). Managing semi-arid rangelands for carbon storage: Grazing and woody encroachment effects on soil carbon and nitrogen, submitted to PLOS ONE(publisher's acknowledgement of receipt enclosed) 3 List of abbreviations and acronyms AGB Aboveground Biomass AGC Aboveground Carbon ANOVA Analysis of Variance BECVOL Biomass Estimates From Canopy Volume BGC Belowground Carbon C Carbon CEC Cation Exchange Capacity CO2 Carbon dioxide CV Coefficient of Variation CA Crown area DBH Diameter at Breast Height DM Dry matter EC Electrical Conductivity ENVI Environment for Visualizing Images (ENVI ETM+ Enhanced Thematic Mapper plus FAO Food and Agriculture Organization GDP Gross Domestic Product GLM General Linear Model GPS Geographical Positioning System ha Hectare H Height HE High encroachment LE Low encroachment TLU Tropical Livestock Unit ILRI International Livestock Research Institute IPCC International Panel on Climate Changes m.a.s.l meters above sea level MEA Millennium Ecosystem Assessment ME Moderate encroachment 4 MSE Mean square of error MSS Multi Spectral Scanner N Nitrogen NPP Net primary productivity OC Organic Carbon P Phosphorus pH Power of Hydrogen ion concentration r2 Coefficient of determination % RCA Percent relative canopy cover SAS Statistical Analysis System SB Stem base SE Severe encroachment SOM Soil Organic Matter SOC Soil Organic Carbon SON Soil Organic Nitrogen SE Standard error TSN Total Soil Nitrogen 5 Table of Contents Acknowledgement of the author .................................................................................................................. 1 Overview of publications .............................................................................................................................. 3 List of abbreviations and acronyms .............................................................................................................. 4 1 General Introduction ............................................................................................................................. 9 1.1 Importance of pastoral rangelands ................................................................................................ 9 1.2 Major threats to Borana rangelands ............................................................................................ 10 1.2.1 Intensification of grazing and ecosystem C and N stocks ................................................... 11 1.2.2 Woody encroachment and rangeland productivity ............................................................. 13 1.3 Specific objectives ...................................................................................................................... 18 1.4 Outline of the thesis .................................................................................................................... 18 2 Predicting aboveground biomass of encroacher woody species in semi-arid rangelands, Ethiopia .. 27 2.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................................. 29 2.2. Material and methods ......................................................................................................................