the Impact of Dryseason Agricultural Activity on Plant Biodiversity of Valley Bottom Anfafi Wetland, Seyo Distirict, Kelem Wollega Zone, Oromia Regional State, Western Ethiopia
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Date
2018-08-08
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
Valley bottom Anfafi wetland is undergoing degradation through human activities from the adjacentcommunities. This study was conducted to assess the impact of dry season agricultural activities on plant biodiversity of Anfafi wetland. The specific objectives were to identify the effect of irrigation and other human activities on plant biodiversity of wetland and sustainability with regard to wetland conservation, assess and compare plant species composition and diversity between degrade and natural wetland zones. Anfafi wetland was classified into natural wetland zone, irrigation areas, grazing land and coffee production area. Different methods were used to collect primary and secondary data. Fortyquadratic sample plots (10 plots in each zone) were established along transects. Secondary data were collected from 66 farmer households; using questionnaire and interview with different social groups. The sample respondents were drawn from two kebeles peasant association adjacent to the wetland. The result indicates that more than 99 percent of sample households depend on the wetland for different types of activities including crop production, livestock production and construction materials. In recent years, this wetland was degraded progressively due to anthropogenic impact. Natural wetland ecosystem and preexisting wetland plants were not conserved. The main cause of this wetland threats was irrigation activity, overgrazing and the expansion of coffee productions around wetland. The difference between natural and degraded wetland zone was assessed by using Simpson’s diversity index and Shannon-Wiener diversity index. Vegetation analysis revealed that plants dominating degraded wetland area were different from those of natural wetland zones in both composition and diversity. Simpson’s diversity index in the natural wetland was 0.38 implying high plant species diversity. Simpson’s diversity index of degraded wetland zone (irrigation area, grazing land, and coffee production site) was 0.62, 0.59 and 0.92 respectively. This implies less plant species diversity in degraded wetland zones. It was indicated high disturbance which affected the areas very adversely. Species richness of natural wetland, grazing land, irrigation area and coffee forest area were 3.24, 0.94, 0.85 and 1 respectively. Species evenness index were also 0.62, 0.41, 0.38, and 0.08 respectively. Simpson’s similarity indices of 17% observed between natural wetland and degraded wetland zones in Anfafi wetland show that there were differences between degraded and no degraded wetland zone. Sustainable utilization and managing the wetland on the basis of basin concepts and involving local people in alternative income generating activity has been suggested as a means of reducing pressure on wetland use and also reducing the threat to wetland.
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Wetland, Plant Biodiversity, Dry Season, Sustainable Utilization, Agriculture