Abstract: P. juliflora is known to interfere with the growth of plants growing in its vicinity by the release of allelochemicals during the decomposition of its litter. An attempt was made to determine the effects of different concentrations (0%, 5%, 10%, 15%, and 20%) of P. juliflora hexane and ethanol leaf extracts on seedling growth, yield and yield components of B. carinata. Soil seedbed and extracts were also prepared from soils sampled from different sites of distance gradient from P. ...
Abstract: Soil degradation caused by erosion threatens agricultural production in many regions of Ethiopia. Though various soil and water conservation (SWC) measures have been introduced and practiced by farmers, the extent of their adoption and sustainability is not clear. This is also true of Chingo watershed of Anlemo woreda and it is with this understanding that a study was proposed and conducted to assess the adoption of introduced SWC practices and their effect on selected soil propert...
ABSTRACT Leucaena leucocephala plays a significant role in sustainable agriculture through their ability to improve soil fertility and health. Leucaena leucocephala, with a mutual symbiotic relationship with some bacteria in soil, can improve nitrogen (N) amount through biological N-fixation (BNF). But to maximize such functions, legumes need more phosphorus (P) as it is required for energy transformation in nodules. Besides, P also plays a significant role to root development, nutrient upta...
Interactions of bird species with their biotic and abiotic environment influence their occurrence and spatial distribution. This is because physical and biological conditions vary along an ecological gradient. Elevation gradient, vegetation mosaic and climate variations can influence avifaunal diversity and assemblages. Birds being very good indicators of the state of the environment can be used to demonstrate the impact of these changes on species communities especially in an Afromontan...
The effects of human disturbance on the ecosystem processes influence the management of recreational areas and the benefits that can be obtained. Public urban parks provide environmental, economic and social benefits to the urban communities. The Nairobi City Park (NCP) located on 49 ha of land divided into a conserved area of 33 ha and 16 ha recreational area. The park has a high level of biodiversity and provides recreation to the visitors. Currently many changes have occurred within t...
Charcoal is a key bio-energy resource in Kenya, providing domestic energy for 82% of urban and 34% of rural households. The charcoal industry also creates jobs for wood producers, charcoal producers, transporters and vendors. The industry employs almost 1 million people on a part and full-time basis across the value chain. Despite regulation there is continued unsustainable charcoal production in western Mau forest block. Are the regulations not working or simply not implemented by the m...
Achieving minimum international recommendations regarding tree cover is a challenge in Kenya, particularly in Kajiado County. As the region faces severe land and forest degradation, planting and managing trees inside school compounds can contribute to improving tree density. This study was therefore aimed at assessing the factors that influence the density of trees in school tree enclosures within Kajiado County, precisely Kajiado North, East, West and Central sub-counties. The four spec...
ABSTRACT Over 2.6 billion people of the world’s population prepare their food and heat their homes with biomass fuel mainly woodfuel. Wood fuel is used as a major source of energy without a replacement plan and is partly the cause of deforestation. Among the interventions identified as crucial to slowing down deforestation include promoting alternative sources of energy and using efficient stoves to reduce pressure on forest resources. This study examined wood fuel utilization and efficien...
ABSTRACT Tropical savannas occur prevalently in Africa and they are important for wildlife conservation and human livelihoods. Wild and domestic ungulates often co-occur and share forage and water resources in these savannas. This situation is prevalent in areas with minimal coverage of protected areas like Laikipia. Habitat sharing can result to varied ecological interactions, including competition and facilitation depending on season. This study assessed the responses of wild ungulates to ...
ABSTRACT Populations of avian species continue to decline worldwide due to the various types of habitat degradation. This is the case with Hinde’s Babbler which is listed as Vulnerable in the IUCN Red List with isolated populations confined to some parts of central and eastern Kenya. The purpose of this study was to asses and compare its current population status in MNP, Ngaya Forest Reserve and agricultural landscapes. This survey was conducted between June and December, 2015 covering dry...
ABSTRACT The distribution of non-human primates in tropical forests is highly influenced by vegetation structure, interspecific interactions and human-induced threats. Reported disturbance in the form of charcoal burning, farming, tree extraction for construction poles or timber, encroachment along the forest boundaries and unplanned infrastructure interferes with the forest edges and interiors, which affect the distribution of primate species. The purpose of this study was to assess the pop...
ABSTRACT Mangroves throughout the world are a critical ecosystem facing numerous threats. In Kenya, losses of mangroves in the last two decades have been estimated to be at 20%. Continued destruction could result in more than 70% of mangrove cover loss in the next 50 years thus affecting biodiversity and livelihoods of many coastal communities. Overexploitation and conversion pressure are the main causes of loss and degradation. Incentive based mechanisms such as Payment for Ecosystem Servic...
ABSTRACT The fisheries sector is significant to socio-economic development through provision of employment, income and food security. Global fisheries resources face unsustainable fishing pressure. In Kenya, unsustainable harvesting is due to use of management measures not informed by stock assessment studies. The aim of this study was to conduct stock assessment and characterize socio-economic dynamics for Lake Baringo Fisheries management. Stock assessment studies featured estimation of bio...
ABSTRACT There is sufficient evidence to show that climatic conditions are changing all over the world. The agricultural sector, especially in developing countries, is one of the hardest hit by the impacts of climate change and variability. Within these countries, the arid and semi-arid areas are the most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change and variability. Farmers in these regions have to cope and adapt to changes in climatic conditions so as to reduce losses. There are many respons...
ABSTRACT The African cherry (Prunus africana (Hook.f.) Kalkm.) regenerates poorly both naturally and artificially because of its recalcitrant seed. There is therefore a great need to conserve this species to ensure it does not become extinct. This study evaluated regeneration potential of the African cherry, identified the appropriate stage of collecting seeds for propagation and suitable sowing media that gives optimum germination and sought to identify other tree species with potential com...