Facilitative effects of Aloe secundiflora shrubs in degraded semi-arid rangelands in Kenya

King, Elizabeth G.

doi:10.1016/j.jaridenv.2007.08.001

Cited by 30 publications

(13 citation statements)

References 33 publications

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“…We found that both Artemisia and Salix show similar features to shrubs in other arid areas of the world. For example, the surveyed Artemisia in our study is on average 60-130 cm tall and 80-170 cm in diameter; Aloe secundiflora and Maerua decumbens shrubs in Kenya are on average 55-100 cm tall and 70-100 cm in diameter (King, 2008). The surveyed Salix in the study is on average 200-280 cm tall and 150-400 cm in diameter.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 54%

“…For example, Hedysarum fruticosum, Artemisia halodendron and Caragana microphylla have been planted as sand binders on moving and semi-moving sand dunes since the 1980s in the Horqin Sandy Land, which is located in the northeastern part of China ; Mediterranean legume shrubs, including Colutea arborescens, Dorycnium pentaphyllum and Medicago strasser, have been used to control soil erosion in Guadalajara in Central Spain (Garcia-Estringana et al, 2013). Aloe secundiflora shrubs act as facilitators in degraded semi-arid rangelands in Kenya (King, 2008). Thus, based on wind-tunnel simulations, we measured airflow field and calculated the shelter effect of these two shrub windbreaks.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Deceleration efficiencies of shrub windbreaks in a wind tunnel

Zou

Zhou

et al. 2015

Aeolian Research

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 54%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Deceleration efficiencies of shrub windbreaks in a wind tunnel

Zou

Zhou

et al. 2015

Aeolian Research

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“…Increasing human population pressure subjects land to intense pressure leading to degradation (Maitima et al 2009;King 2008;Kiage et al 2007;Mundia and Aniya 2006;Serneels and Lambin 2001). High population growth rates in Kenya have increased the demand for ecosystem services.…”

Section: Drivers and Impacts Of Land Degradation In Kenyamentioning

confidence: 99%

Economics of Land Degradation and Improvement in Kenya

Mulinge

Gicheru

Murithi

et al. 2015

Economics of Land Degradation and Improvement – A Global Assessment for Sustainable Development

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Kenya is an agricultural nation, with over 12 million people residing in areas with degraded lands. Unfortunately, the food crop productivity growth in the country has failed to exceed the population growth. The growth of agricultural output in Kenya is constrained by many challenges including soil erosion, low productivity, agro-biodiversity loss, and soil nutrient depletion. Land exploitation devoid of proper compensating investments in soil and water conservation will lead to severe land degradation. This will translate to loss of rural livelihoods, diminished water supplies and threaten the wildlife habitat. This study explores the causes, extent and impacts of land degradation in Kenya, discusses the costs of action versus inaction in rehabilitating degraded lands, and proposes policy options for promoting sustainable land management (SLM). In order to appropriately support SLM, there is a need to account for the total economic value (TEV) of land degradation, i.e. including the value of both provisioning and indirect ecosystem services of land. Using such a TEV approach, findings show that the costs of land degradation due to land use and land cover changes (LUCC) in Kenya reach the equivalent of 1.3 billion USD annually between 2001 and 2009. Moreover, the costs of rangeland degradation calculated through losses in milk and meat production, as well as in livestock live weight decreases reach about 80 million USD annually. Furthermore, the costs of "soil nutrient mining" leading to lower yields for three crops, namely wheat, maize and rice in Kenya were estimated at about 270 million USD annually. The cost of taking action to rehabilitate lands degraded through LUCC is found to be lower than the cost of inaction by 4 times over a 30 year period, i.e. each dollar invested in land rehabilitation is likely to yield four dollars of returns. This may strongly justify the urgent need for taking action against land degradation. Addressing land degradation involves investments in SLM. Our econometric results show that improving access to information on SLM and to the markets (input, output, financial) may likely stimulate investments into SLM by agricultural households.

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“…The soil-binding properties of the roots of this species are important in the stabilization and reclamation of eroded or otherwise degraded areas (Smith andCorreia 1988, 1992). In Kenya, A. secundiflora is an important facilitator species in rangeland plant communities, promoting increased vegetation cover (King 2007;King and Stanton 2007). The Vhavenda of southern Africa use A. marlothii as a seed primer; seeds are soaked in the liquid from pounded leaves to make them more resilient and productive when sown (Mabogo 1990).…”

Section: Environmental Usesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Documented Utility and Biocultural Value of Aloe L. (Asphodelaceae): A Review

et al. 2009

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Documented Utility and Biocultural Value of Aloe L. (Asphodelaceae): A Review. The genus Aloe L. (Asphodelaceae) comprises 548 accepted species, of which at least one-third are documented as having some utilitarian value. The group is of conservation concern due to habitat loss and being extensively collected from the wild for horticulture and natural products. Cultural value is increasingly important in the effective conservation of biodiversity. The present study evaluated the biocultural value of the known uses of Aloe, excluding the domesticated and commercially cultivated A. vera. Over 1,400 use records representing 173 species were collated from the literature and through personal observation; this paper presents a synopsis of uses in each of 11 use categories. Medicinal uses of Aloe were described by 74% of the use records, followed by social and environmental uses (both 5%). Species yielding natural products, notably A. ferox and A. perryi, were most frequently cited in the literature. Consensus ratios indicate that the most valued uses of Aloe are in medicine and pest control against arthropods and other invertebrates.

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Facilitative effects of Aloe secundiflora shrubs in degraded semi-arid rangelands in Kenya

Cited by 30 publications

References 33 publications

Deceleration efficiencies of shrub windbreaks in a wind tunnel

Deceleration efficiencies of shrub windbreaks in a wind tunnel

Economics of Land Degradation and Improvement in Kenya

Documented Utility and Biocultural Value of Aloe L. (Asphodelaceae): A Review

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