Forests play a critical role in the natural global carbon cycle by capturing carbon from the atmosphere through photosynthesis. However, Ethiopia does not have carbon inventories and databank to monitor and enhance carbon sequestration potential of different forests. As result, this study was conducted in Humbo forest with the overall objective of estimating the total carbon stock in woody plants and its variation along altitudinal gradients, as well as its implication for climate change mitigation. The above and below ground biomass, dead litter biomass and soil carbon were measured and estimated by using allometric equations. Trees with DBH>2.5 cm were measured for their height and diameter at breast height, and the result was analyzed by SPSS software, version 20. The findings of the study showed that Syzigium guineese(L.) Skeels was the most dominant and Prunus africana (Hook. f.) Kal was the least dominant one. The average carbon stock of the study area was 30.77, 14.46, 12.55, and 168.2 ton/ha, in above ground biomass, below ground biomass, dead litter, and soil, respectively. The variation of carbon pools between altitudinal gradient was not significant. The total maximum and minimum carbon stock estimated was 361.63 and 58.49 ton/ha, respectively, with the average value of 225.98 ton/ha. The estimated money term of carbon dioxide sequestered in one hectare was $6087.429 USD in average. This implies that the forest managed for carbon trading (to get money) indirectly sequesters about 829.35 ton /ha, in average.

This study was conducted in Harenna Forest, Harenna Buluk District, South East Ethiopia to assess threats and conservation challenges of wildlife in Harenna Forests. Data collection was carried out from March to June, 2016 using questionnaire surveys, interviews and focus group discussion. The wildlife threats and conservation challenges of Harenna Forests were varied among different village's forests. The data revealed that deforestation; habitat loss, degradation and fragmentation; agriculture expansion; settlement; overutilization of forest resources; human-wildlife conflict; fire; district's administration problems and wildlife hunting were the major wildlife threats in the area. Conservation of wildlife resources in Harenna Forest are challenged mainly due to urbanization, agricultural expansion, habitat fragmentation, and resource extraction. Most of respondents (86.5%) acknowledged that the status of wildlife in the Harenna Forest is decreasing particularly due to the above mentioned anthropogenic causes. Therefore, awareness creation programmes should be organized in the community and it will help to reduce wildlife threats and to develop wildlife management.

Irrigation enhances resilience to the negative impacts of climate change through sustainable food production and environmental health. However, water is a scarce resource that needs efficient utilization. This study explored (1) farmers’ perceptions about the roles of irrigation in climate change adaptation and (2) determinants of the choices to selected WUE-improving soil and water management practices in southern Ethiopia. A multistage sampling technique was used to survey 373 households. The results indicated that the majority of surveyed households were male-headed: 90.6%, above 40 years old: 56.8%, and uneducated: 73.5%. They perceived that irrigation improved their net income (INCOM): 88%, acted as insurance against decreased rainfall (IADR): 44.8%, and insurance against increased temperature (IAIT): 70%; though the water was not available in all dry seasons: 55%. The choice to tightly close water-diversion points after use is significantly positively ( p < .05) affected by education level (EDUC) and perceptions about irrigation water as IADR and IAIT. However, the farmers’ perceptions about INCOM significantly negatively affected their choice to not irrigate at peak sunshine hours. The choice of mulching is significantly positively affected by the perception of INCOM and IAIT. Similarly, the choice of using compost is significantly positively affected by EDUC and their perceptions of IADR and IAIT, and significantly negatively affected by INCOM. The choice of not practicing conventional tillage is strongly negatively affected by the farmers’ perceptions about equitable water distribution (EWD) and INCOM. Therefore, it can be concluded that the farmers’ understanding of the roles of irrigation in climate change adaptation is good but their understanding of WUE-improving practices is poor due to poor water distribution systems and low education levels. So, improving water distribution systems and farmers’ awareness about WUE-improving practices are suggested to the study area and other countries under related conditions.

Abstract:The world's drylands are home to 2 billion people, many of whom depend on natural resources, biodiversity and agro-biodiversity for their livelihoods. The vulnerability of pastoral communities to climate change is higher than those who depend on agriculture (crop production) due to the synergic effect of inadequate health services, inadequate infrastructure, poverty (especially among rural communities), lack of alternative means of income(especially in marginal areas), inadequate public awareness of disease risks, illiteracy, and so on. As a result, this review focuses on the adaptive and mitigation strategies for pastoral communities to climate change and variability in Ethiopia. The objective of this review is to identify different adaptation and mitigation strategies (both traditional and modern) to climate change that should be used in different Pastoral communities of Ethiopia. In other words, it helps those pastoral communities to share the information about applicability and benefits of the new adaptation and mitigation strategies, and/or improve the implementation process of previously existing strategies (measures). Consequently, the loss of human and livestock life, damage of buildings by wind, reduction in production and productivity, extra cost for cure, inappropriate (sudden migration), and disturbance of overall activities of pastoral community can be minimized by sharing the important information about the future occurrence of disasters. The appropriate measures either used by local communities and/or recommended by different researchers after their findings are: keeping or improving animal health, de-stocking and re-stocking livestock depending on weather conditions, keeping the sustainability of livestock feed and water, diversifying livelihood, seasonal migration, using alternate energy sources other than fire wood and charcoal, improving human health (sanitation) and clean water supply, market and infrastructure development and improvement, using integrated natural resource management, and sound policy and Conflict resolution methods.

Deliberate and unintentional introduction of invasive alien plant species on native biodiversity by aid agencies and other bodies directly or indirectly are being a series of problems on the economy, ecology, politics, and health of life on earth. Identifying and compiling floristics and the status of invasive alien species and identifying which have viable populations are necessary to manage the ecosystems. The present study is therefore intended to provide information for concerned bodies on the area which needs management priority computing the composition, structure, and diversity of invasive alien plants. A field assessment was conducted to determine the distribution and heterogeneity of invasive alien plant species, and then, six kebeles were chosen and transact lines were laid using a purposeful sampling technique. The vegetation and environment data were collected from farmland, grazing land, fallow land, and road sides using 95 subquadrats (5 m × 5 m) set in the center and corner of 19 main quadrats (20 m × 20 m). The voucher specimens collected were taken to the Herbarium of Ethiopia (ETH) for taxonomic identification and future reference. The frequency and density of floristics data were analyzed using MS Excel version 2010, and species diversity was calculated using Shannon (H′), Simpson (D), and evenness (E) indices. Among 35 alien plant species invading natural vegetation in Ethiopia, 25 alien plant species were found in the Humbo district of the Wolaita zone. The densest invasive alien plant species in the area were Parthenium hysterophorus consisting of 15197 individuals/ha, followed by Richardia scabra consisting of 11908 individuals/ha, Xanthium strumarium consisting of 7292 individuals/ha, and Ocimum forskolei consisting of 6280 individuals/ha. The highest species diversity was computed in fallow land (H′ = 2.369), which is followed by farmland (H′ = 1.627) and grazing land (H′ = 1.419). The higher the density of the invasive alien species, the higher the ability to change the structure and diversity of native species of the area results in a decrease in the function and services of the ecosystem. Therefore, management methods must prioritize land types that had the highest diversity of invasive alien species.