Stone bunds for soil conservation in the northern Ethiopian highlands: Impacts on soil fertility and crop yield

Vancampenhout, Karen; Nyssen, Jan; Gebremichael, Desta; Deckers, Jozef; Poesen, Jean; Haile, Mitiku; Moeyersons, J

doi:10.1016/j.still.2005.08.004

Cited by 164 publications

(129 citation statements)

References 20 publications

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“…Some 'minor' processes can however be important, either within certain land units (such as creep on ancient mass movement deposits composed of basaltic material), or for the consequences of soil translocation within small areas. Tillage erosion notably leads to soil profile truncation within plots treated with stone bunds, without however leading, in most cases, to the development of lateral soil fertility gradients (Vancampenhout et al, 2006). Finally, an expression of our results in power (1 W = 1 J s −1 ) per km 2 allows us to compare our data with similar data for other regions of the world (Table V).…”

Section: Referencesupporting

confidence: 56%

“…the intra-plot redistribution of soil, has increased significantly since the introduction of stone bunds. The effects of this last process have been discussed by Vancampenhout et al (2006), who found that due to vertical homogeneity within soil profiles (Regosols, Vertisols) tillage erosion does not lead, in most cases, to lateral soil fertility gradients.…”

Section: Soil Loss and Sediment Movement -The Horizontal View Measurmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Dynamics of soil erosion rates and controlling factors in the Northern Ethiopian Highlands – towards a sediment budget

Nyssen

Poesen

Moeyersons

et al. 2007

Earth Surf Processes Landf

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132

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This paper analyses the factors that control rates and extent of soil erosion processes in the 199 ha May Zegzeg catchment near Hagere Selam in the Tigray Highlands (Northern Ethiopia). This catchment, characterized by high elevations (2100–2650 m a.s.l.) and a subhorizontal structural relief, is typical for the Northern Ethiopian Highlands. Soil loss rates due to various erosion processes, as well as sediment yield rates and rates of sediment deposition within the catchment (essentially induced by recent soil conservation activities), were measured using a range of geomorphological methods. The area‐weighted average rate of soil erosion by water in the catchment, measured over four years (1998–2001), is 14·8 t ha−1 y−1, which accounts for 98% of the change in potential energy of the landscape. Considering these soil loss rates by water, 28% is due to gully erosion. Other geomorphic processes, such as tillage erosion and rock fragment displacement by gravity and livestock trampling, are also important, either within certain land units, or for their impact on agricultural productivity. Estimated mean sediment deposition rate within the catchment equals 9·2 t ha−1 y−1. Calculated sediment yield (5·6 t ha−1 y−1) is similar to sediment yield measured in nearby catchments. Seventy‐four percent of total soil loss by sheet and rill erosion is trapped in exclosures and behind stone bunds. The anthropogenic factor is dominant in controlling present‐day erosion processes in the Northern Ethiopian Highlands. Human activities have led to an overall increase in erosion process intensities, but, through targeted interventions, rural society is now well on the way to control and reverse the degradation processes, as can be demonstrated through the sediment budget. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

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Section: Referencesupporting

confidence: 56%

Section: Soil Loss and Sediment Movement -The Horizontal View Measurmentioning

confidence: 99%

Dynamics of soil erosion rates and controlling factors in the Northern Ethiopian Highlands – towards a sediment budget

Nyssen

Poesen

Moeyersons

et al. 2007

Earth Surf Processes Landf

Self Cite

132

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“…From each sampling plot, a composite sample from the four corners and one at the center of an X designed rectangular plot were taken. The X designed rectangular plot has two sides along the contour with length of 15m each and adjusted at 1.5 m away from LSBs and SBs [20]. By repeating those procedures on all the selected croplands with LSB and SB, a total of 18 composite samples (2 types of structures (LSB and SB) × 3 croplands treated with each type of structures × 3 inter-structure area or plot from each LSB and SB) were collected using auger from depth of 0 -20 cm.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…[20] mentioned that SOC values are typically low in the Ethiopian highlands as a consequence of stubble grazing and the absence of fallowing.…”

Section: Soil Properties In Croplands With Swc Structures and Nonterrmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of level soil bunds and stone bunds on soil properties and its implications for crop production: the case of Bokole watershed, Dawuro zone, Southern Ethiopia

Wolka¹,

Moges²,

Yimer³

2011

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Level soil bunds (LSB) and stone bunds (SB) have been widely implemented in the Bokole watershed since 2000 through support of the World Food Program (WFP). However, the performance of them against the target of the structure has not been studied. This study analyzed the effects of LSB and SB on selected soil properties, when compared with nonterraced cropland. The Bokole watershed was divided into two units. From upper watershed, three croplands with LSB (aged 4, 6, and 9 years) and three nonterraced croplands each adjacent to one of the LSB were selected. Similarly, in lower watershed, SB aged 4, 6, and 8 years and three nonterraced croplands each adjacent to one of the SB were selected. From each cropland with LSB and SB, three composite soil samples (replicates) were collected systematically in X designed rectangular plot. From each nonterraced cropland, three composite soil samples (replicates) were collected in X designed square plot. A total of 36 soil samples were analyzed for Soil Organic Carbon (SOC), Total Nitrogen (TN), Available Phosphorus (AP), Available Potassium (AK), pH, and Cation Exchange Capacity (CEC) following standard laboratory procedures. Most soil parameters were not significantly different in cropland with LSB and SB compared to nonterraced. However, in LSB aged 4 years and SB aged 6 years AP and pH were significantly less than their adjacent-nonterraced cropland. In SB aged 8 years, SOC, AP, AK, and pH were also significantly less than adjacent-nonterraced cropland. Past erosion, and past land uses are likely factors contributed to the observed result. It was inferred that the mean contribution of LSB and SB alone for crop production with regard to analyzed soil parameters was not significant in the considered sites. Additional soil fertility management practices should be incorporated for better effect.

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“…Soil erosion is more severe in the sub-Saharan African countries where the population livelihood is dependent on the soil (Sunday et al 2012;Erkossa et al 2015). In the Ethiopian highlands, deforestation for crop production, cultivation of marginal lands, and overgrazing are the major factors that dramatically increased the vulnerability of agricultural lands to rainfall-driven soil erosion (Nyssen et al 2000;Vancampenhout et al 2006;Belay et al 2014;Adimassu et al 2014;Erkossa et al 2015;Addis et al 2016). Intensive rainfall during rainy seasons (June to September) contributes to severe land degradation in mountainous regions, especially on steep sloping and unprotected areas (Addis et al 2016).To tackle the soil erosion problem in the Ethiopian highlands, constructing soil and water conservation structures is considered to be a top priority in halting land degradation and thus to improve agricultural productivity.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Prediction of soil and water conservation structure impacts on runoff and erosion processes using SWAT model in the northern Ethiopian highlands

et al. 2017

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Purpose Land degradation due to soil erosion is a serious threat to the highlands of Ethiopia. Various soil and water conservation (SWC) strategies have been in use to tackle soil erosion. However, the effectiveness of SWC measures on runoff dynamics and sediment load in terms of their medium-and short-term effects has not been sufficiently studied. Materials and methods A study was conducted in 2011 to 2015 in the Gumara-Maksegnit watershed to study the impacts of SWC structures on runoff and soil erosion processes using the soil and water analysis tool (SWAT) model. The study was conducted in two adjacent watersheds where in one of the watersheds, SWC structures were constructed (treated watershed (TW)) in 2011, while the other watershed was a reference watershed without SWC structures (untreated watershed (UW)). For both watersheds, separate SWAT and SWAT-CUP (SWAT calibration and uncertainty procedure) projects were set up for daily runoff and sediment yield. The SWAT-CUP program was applied to optimize the parameters of the SWAT using daily observed runoff and sediment yield data. Results and discussion The runoff simulations indicated that SWAT can reproduce the hydrological regime for both watersheds. The daily runoff calibration (2011)(2012)(2013) results for the TW and UW showed good correlation between the predicted and the observed data (R 2 = 0.78 for the TW and R 2 = 0.77 for the UW). The validation (2014)(2015) results also showed good correlation with R 2 values of 0.72 and 0.70 for the TW and UW, respectively. However, sediment yield calibration and validation results showed modest correlation between the predicted and observed sediment yields with R 2 values of 0.65 and 0.69 for the TW and UW for the calibration and R 2 values of 0.55 and 0.65 for the TW and UW for the validation, respectively. Conclusions The model results indicated that SWC structures considerably reduced soil loss by as much as 25-38% in the TW. The study demonstrated that SWAT performed well for both watersheds and can be a potential instrument for upscaling and assessing the impact of SWC structures on sediment loads in the highlands of Ethiopia.

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Stone bunds for soil conservation in the northern Ethiopian highlands: Impacts on soil fertility and crop yield

Cited by 164 publications

References 20 publications

Dynamics of soil erosion rates and controlling factors in the Northern Ethiopian Highlands – towards a sediment budget

Dynamics of soil erosion rates and controlling factors in the Northern Ethiopian Highlands – towards a sediment budget

Effects of level soil bunds and stone bunds on soil properties and its implications for crop production: the case of Bokole watershed, Dawuro zone, Southern Ethiopia

Prediction of soil and water conservation structure impacts on runoff and erosion processes using SWAT model in the northern Ethiopian highlands

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