scholarly journals Is Faurea rochetiana a potential candidate for Dendroclimate studies? Wood samples from semi-arid woodlands of southern Ethiopia

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 26-29
Author(s):  
Tesfaye Gebremedhin Asmelash
Keyword(s):  
Southern Ethiopia ◽  
Potential Candidate ◽  
Semi Arid

Determinants of Households Vulnerability to Food Insecurity: Evidence from Southern Ethiopia

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 35-61
Author(s):  
Fassil Eshetu ◽  
Adem Guye
Keyword(s):  
Food Insecurity ◽  
Household Head ◽  
Safety Net ◽  
Least Square ◽  
Farm Income ◽  
Southern Ethiopia ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
The Mean ◽  
The Government ◽  
Semi Arid

This study examines the level and determinants of households’ vulnerability to food insecurity using feasible generalised least square method. Data were collected using structured questionnaires from a random sample of 574 households. Descriptive results indicated that the incidence, depth and severity of food insecurity were 68, 31 and 18 per cent, respectively, while mean vulnerability to food insecurity was 73.34 per cent. The mean level of vulnerability to food insecurity at Chencha (humid), Demba Gofa (semi-arid) and Kamba (arid) districts were 77, 55 and 84 per cent, respectively. In addition, the mean kilocalorie deficiency gap in the study areas was 682 Kcal per adult equivalent per day, while the mean kilocalorie deficiency gaps which would be needed to lift households out of food insecurity were 462, 440 and 506 Kcal per adult equivalent per day at Chencha (humid), Demba Gofa (semi-arid) and Kamba (arid) districts, respectively. Regression results revealed that the age of household head, family size, safety net programmes, distance from healthcare and death of household members significantly increase households’ vulnerability to food insecurity. But farm income, irrigation use and credit use significantly decrease households’ vulnerability to food insecurity. The government needs to provide credit, viable off-farm employment, small-scale irrigation services and road infrastructure to rural poor to reduce vulnerability to food insecurity. Population control and family planning would also increase resource and consumption per capita and will lead to lower vulnerability.

scholarly journals Water Resource Assessment of a Complex Volcanic System Under Semi-Arid Climate Using Numerical Modeling: The Borena Basin in Southern Ethiopia

Water ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 276
Author(s):  
Moumtaz Razack ◽  
Wakgari Furi ◽  
Likissa Fanta ◽  
Abera Shiferaw
Keyword(s):  
Surface Waters ◽  
Regional Model ◽  
Arid Climate ◽  
Southern Ethiopia ◽  
Ethiopian Rift ◽  
Sustainable Yield ◽  
Volcanic System ◽  
Main Ethiopian Rift ◽  
Semi Arid ◽  
Natural Recharge

The Borena basin is located in southern Ethiopia, in a semi-arid climate, on the eastern shoulder of the south Main Ethiopian Rift (MER). The study area covers 18,000 km2 and is characterized by a lack of perennial surface waters that can be used for domestic and agricultural purpose. As a result, groundwater, which occurs in complex volcanic settings, is the only source for water supply in the study area. This work is focused on the basaltic aquifers, which are intensely fractured, resulting in strong connectivity within the system. All available data (geology, hydraulic head, hydraulic parameters, well inventory and discharge, etc.) were compiled in a GIS database. The overall objective of this work is the assessment of groundwater potential, its spatial distribution and factors controlling its movement using numerical groundwater modeling to enhance groundwater management and use in the Borena basin. The modeling task was conducted at two scales: (i) regional scale; (ii) wellfields scale. The regional steady state model was calibrated using the Pilot points approach, highlighting a strongly heterogeneous system. A significant result of the regional model consisted of estimating the water balance of the whole system. The total inflow to the basin amounts to 542 × 106 m3/year, of which 367 × 106 m3/year are provided by superficial recharge. Groundwater resources are exploited with 7 wellfields. Exploitation of the wellfields was optimized based on the Sustainable Yield concept, which reserves a fraction of natural recharge for the benefit of the environment (surface waters, ecosystems). Each wellfield was extracted from the regional model, refined and used to simulate and optimize pumping scenarios, with the objective of maximizing discharge rates and avoiding over-exploitation of the groundwater. The optimized abstraction at all wellfields amounts to 121 × 106 m3/year, which represents 33% of the natural recharge and fully agrees with the sustainable yield concept.

scholarly journals Variability and time series trend analysis of temperature over 1981-2018 in semi-arid Borana zone, southern Ethiopia

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mitiku Adisu Worku ◽  
Gudina Legese Feyisa ◽  
Kassahun Ture Beketie
Keyword(s):  
Climate Variability ◽  
Minimum Temperature ◽  
Spatial Scales ◽  
Warming Trend ◽  
Maximum Temperature ◽  
Southern Ethiopia ◽  
Mk Test ◽  
Temporal And Spatial ◽  
Borana Zone ◽  
Semi Arid

Abstract BackgroundUnderstanding the climate variability at local scale could help suggest local adaptation responses to manage climate driven impacts. This paper analyzed the variability and trends of temperature over the period 1981-2018 in semi-arid Borana zone of southern Ethiopia using Mann-Kendall (MK) test and inverse distance weighted (IDW) interpolation technique. Gridded (4 km * 4 km) daily temperature data was used to study variability at temporal and spatial scales. ResultsThe results revealed that monthly temperature shows a warming trend where February was the warmest month for both maximum and minimum temperature. Seasonally, the highest maximum and minimum temperatures were observed during Bega. Minimum temperature shows a warming trend during all seasons unlike maximum temperature. Both minimum and maximum temperature shows not significant warming trend at annual timescale. The later decades (20012018) have shown a warming trend compared to a period ahead especially for minimum temperature. The southwestern and southeastern areas across the zone were warmer than any other areas in the region during the studied period. ConclusionTemperature shows variability at shorter than longer timescales. There is a pronounced warming trend for minimum than maximum temperature. Warming condition advances from the northcentral parts towards the southwestern and southeastern areas. Internal variability was observed at temporal and spatial scales and therefore any adaptation responses to local climate variability should consider the microscale climate.

scholarly journals Do Woody Tree Thinning and Season Have Effect on Grass Species’ Composition and Biomass in a Semi-Arid Savanna? The Case of a Semi-Arid Savanna, Southern Ethiopia

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Malicha Loje Hare ◽  
Xin Wen Xu ◽  
Yong Dong Wang ◽  
You Yuan ◽  
Abule Ebro Gedda
Keyword(s):  
Species Composition ◽  
Woody Plants ◽  
Species Abundance ◽  
Control Plot ◽  
Tree Density ◽  
Grass Species ◽  
Southern Ethiopia ◽  
Forage Production ◽  
Multivariate Technique ◽  
Semi Arid

Encroachment of woody plants has negative effects on grass species and seriously challenging livestock production and pastoral livelihood in semi-arid savanna. The effect of thinning and season on grass species composition and biomass was investigated in lowland grazing area for three seasons. The study consisted of 15 plots (each 50 m × 50 m), thinned to differing intensities. The plots were located next to each other on a homogeneous area of 3.8 ha. Five thinning intensities (0, 25, 50, 75, and 100%) were allocated randomly to the plots and replicated three times. The 0% plot was left unthinned referred to as the control plot. The remaining plots were thinned to the equivalents of 25, 50, 75, and 100% of the tree density of that of the control plot. A two-way analysis of variance and Tukey Honest Significant Differences tests were used to compare responses of grass species. Ordination of variables was carried out by multivariate technique using correspondence analysis to explore the similarity relationship of plots, seasons and species. The differences in species composition and biomass in the control and the thinned plots were significant (p < 0.05). Higher grass species composition and biomass were documented in thinned plots than in the control plot. Species abundance in thinned plots ranged from 11 to 12, while that of the 0% plot was six species. Grass biomass (Kg ha-1) varied from 2,688.4 ± 736.8 to 5,035.8 ± 743.9 across thinned plots, whereas in the control plot the yield was 885.8 ± 369.1. The result showed that grass species composition and biomass increased with the increasing intensity of thinning. Grass values appeared to be optimum at the heavy intensity of thinning woody plants. Seasons were also significant with the highest values recorded in the rainy season. Rainfall played an important role by interacting with thinning and influenced total grass values. Overall, thinning that combined improved soil moisture negatively influenced woody cover and enhanced grass species composition and biomass production. Thinning of bushes to the 75% of tree density would sustain the original savanna and maximize forage production for grazers.

scholarly journals Remote Sensing for Biocultural Heritage Preservation in an African Semi-Arid Region: A Case Study of Indigenous Wells in Northern Kenya and Southern Ethiopia

2022 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 314
Author(s):  
Pamela Ochungo ◽  
Nadia Khalaf ◽  
Stefania Merlo ◽  
Alemseged Beldados ◽  
Freda Nkirote M’Mbogori ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Water Management ◽  
Remote Sensing ◽  
Land Cover ◽  
Diversity Index ◽  
Management Systems ◽  
Southern Ethiopia ◽  
Northern Kenya ◽  
Landscape Degradation ◽  
Biocultural Heritage ◽  
Semi Arid

The region of Southern Ethiopia (Borana) and Northern Kenya (Marsabit) is characterised by erratic rainfall, limited surface water, aridity, and frequent droughts. An important adaptive response to these conditions, of uncertain antiquity, has been the hand-excavation of a sequence of deep wells at key locations often along seasonal riverbeds and valley bottoms where subterranean aquifers can be tapped. Sophisticated indigenous water management systems have developed to ensure equitable access to these critical water resources, and these are part of well-defined customary institutional leadership structures that govern the community giving rise to a distinctive form of biocultural heritage. These systems, and the wells themselves, are increasingly under threat, however, from climate change, demographic growth, and socio-economic development. To contribute to an assessment of the scale, distribution and intensity of these threats, this study aimed to evaluate the land-use land-cover (LULC) and precipitation changes in this semi-arid to arid landscape and their association with, and impact on, the preservation of traditional wells. Multitemporal Landsat 5, 7 and 8 satellite imagery covering the period 1990 to 2020, analysed at a temporal resolution of 10 years, was classified using supervised classification via the Random Forest machine learning method to extract the following classes: bare land, grassland, shrub land, open forest, closed forest, croplands, settlement and waterbodies. Change detection was then applied to identify and quantify changes through time and landscape degradation indices were generated using the Shannon Diversity Index fragmentation index within a 15 km buffer of each well cluster. The results indicated that land cover change was mostly driven by increasing anthropogenic changes with resultant reduction in natural land cover classes. Furthermore, increased fragmentation has occurred within most of the selected buffer distances of the well clusters. The main drivers of change that have directly or indirectly impacted land degradation and the preservation of indigenous water management systems were identified through an analysis of land cover changes in the last 30 years, supporting insights from previous focused group discussions with communities in Kenya and Ethiopia. Our approach showed that remote sensing methods can be used for the spatially explicit mapping of landscape structure around the wells, and ultimately towards assessment of the preservation status of the indigenous wells.

scholarly journals The Resilient Recurrent Behavior of Mediterranean Semi-Arid Complex Adaptive Landscapes

Land ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 296
Author(s):  
Irene Petrosillo ◽  
Donatella Valente ◽  
Christian Mulder ◽  
Bai-Lian Li ◽  
K. Bruce Jones ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Vegetation Index ◽  
Landscape Planning ◽  
Net Primary Production ◽  
Methodological Approach ◽  
Conservation Priorities ◽  
Potential Candidate ◽  
Targeted Interventions ◽  
Quantification Analysis ◽  
Semi Arid ◽  
Over Time

Growing external pressures from human activities and climate change can exacerbate desertification, compromising the livelihoods of more than 25% of the world’s population. The dryland mosaic is defined by land covers that do not behave similarly, and the identification of their recurring or irregular changes over time is crucial, especially in areas susceptible to become desertified. To this aim, the methodological approach of this research is based on the integration of non-linear data analysis techniques, such as recurrence plots (RPs) and recurrence quantification analysis (RQA), applied to the Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI), which is a functional ecological proxy of above ground net primary production. The research exploits the recurring change detected in vegetation cover over time to gauge the predictable (resilient) behavior of the EVI as well as its chaoticity in a semi-arid Mediterranean region (Apulia, Italy). Interestingly, the results have shown the spatial rendering of recurrence variables, confirming the well-known hot spots of soil degradation and desertification taking place in the region, which are characterized by greater EVI chaoticity, but they have also identified new potential candidate sites. As a result, the susceptibility to land degradation, as measured by the EVI-RQA approach, can help in measuring land desertification with evident operational benefits for landscape planning. The novelty of the research lies in the spatially explicit identification of resilient and less resilient areas to desertification that can support the definition of more targeted interventions and conservation priorities for better planning and sustainable management of Mediterranean drylands.

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