Effects of Soil Conservation Practices on Selected Soil Nutrients in Borodo Watershed, Ethiopia

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Date

2015-09

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Addis Ababa University

Abstract

Soil degradation is evident in the mountainous areas of Ethiopia and is often represented as results of human pressure. It can be reduced through different Soil and Water Conservation (SWC) measures. The study was conducted at the Borodo watershed, which is situated in Dendi district, west shewa zone of oromya region in Central highlands of Ethiopia. The aim of the study was to assess the effect of soil conservation practices on selected soil nutrients in different land use systems in Borodo watershed. The results of the soil analysis showed that most of soil physicochemical properties had significant variations with respect to Soil Conservation practices, land use types and slope gradients. The highest average mean values of exchangeable Ca (40.05meq/100g), Mg (19.17meq/100g) and CEC (53.14 Cmol /kg) were observed under the forest land as compared to the lowest values (14.54, 5.11 and 32.92 Cmol/kg) in the unconserved lower eucalyptus and Upper grazing lands respectively. The cumulative values of land use changes without proper management were negative (decreasing the marginal status of soil nutrients). The results of the study indicates that soil bunds could benefit farmers through improving the nutrient status of the soil better if integrated with biological structures (stabilizing bunds with vetiver and other improved forage seeds). For optimizing and maintaining the favorable soil physicochemical properties sustainably farmers need to know the appropriate soil conservation structures, their application and benefits.

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Keywords

Borodo, Conservation, Macronutrients, Micronutrients, Physical Properties and Watershed, Soil Conservation

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