Study of Woody Species Diversity and Socio-Economic Importance of Boke Salt House, A Volcanic Crater Lake, in Semi-Arid Drylands of Borana, Southern Ethiopia
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Date
2006-06
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
The diversity of woody plant species and socio-economic importance of salt house of the
Borana dryland were conducted in Boke. This area is a volcanic crater lake and assumes a
circular shape when viewed from the top. To study woody plant species diversity,
evenness, richness and community type, line transects were laid along the four aspects for
sampling purposes. A total of 22 quadrats (20 m x 20 m) were sampled. For comparative
purposes, 39 quadrats of the same size were sampled from outside the salt house.
Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) and semi-structured interviews were conducted for a
socio-economic data collection. Vegetation, environmental variables and socio-economic
data were analyzed using PC-ORD, CANOCO and SPSS software, and descriptive
statistics accordingly. A total of 45 woody plant species representing 26 genera in 16
families were recorded in this study. The density of woody plant species recorded in
Boke salt house was 2622 individuals ha-1. The diversity and evenness indices of woody
plant species of the study area were 2.100 and 0.661, respectively. Six plant community
types were identified in the current study, of which the first two (community 1, and 3)
were found in Boke salt house and the other four (Community 2, 4, 5 and 6) were
restricted to surrounding environment. Soil parameters like moisture content, organic
matter, total N and available P had significant positive correlation with altitude, whereas
exchangeable Na, pH-H2O, and electrical conductivity had negative correlation. The salt
house is the sole source of both table salt and black salty mud which are used as a
livelihood safety net during drought. The indigenous people of the area extract table salt
by using leaves of a thorn-less shrub, Suaeda monoica. It was found out that the on site
retail price of 50-60 kgs of table salt ranges from 80 to 100 ETB while the same amount
of a black salty mud was 25-30 ETB. It has been found out that about 50,000 ETB was
said to be collected by elected local community leaders per year from eco-tourists visiting
the salt house. This income was/is being used for development activities under the
leadership of the community. Given the level of poverty and recurrent drought, Boke salt
house is under intensive and extensive human exploitations and participatory resource
management and sustainable uses should be sought for both by local communities and the
Oromia Regional State to bring about long-lasting solutions.
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Biology