Browsing by Author "Mbwambo, John"

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Effects of Restoration Techniques on Plant Diversity and Forage Biomass in Areas Invaded by Prosopis juliflora
(International Journal of Advances in Scientific Research and Engineering, 2021-12) Jumanne, Yohana; Moyo, Francis; Mbwambo, John
Prosopis juliflora, an invasive plant worldwide causes major threats by destructing natural ecosystem and limits provisioning of ecosystem services in the invaded areas. Attempts to manage the species and restore invaded lands have landed countries to adopt and implement different restoration options.This study tested three restoration options namely Diveting, Mulching and Seeding and their combination to assess their effectiveness in enhancing plant diversity and forage biomass. The study cleared invaded lands in Kahe Ward, Northern Tanzania and laid two blocks, each designated to address livestock pasture and conservationchallenges. Experimental blocks were laid in a complete randomized design in 10mx10m plots.Data on plant species and forage biomass were collected in each 10mx10m whereby plants were identified with the support of a botanist; their number recorded, and grass samples green and dry weight determined. The Shannon–Wiener Diversity Index was used to estimate diversity of plant species and the average values in each restoration treatment.One way ANOVA showed that, diversity of native plants was higher in control (Mean±SE =1.239±0.937)than diveting (Mean±SE =1.105±0.56) and diveting-mulching (Mean±SE =0.7703±0.55). Forage biomass was higher in control (Mean±SE =65.917±10.083)than in diveting(Mean±SE =52.425±11.15), diverting-mulching(Mean±SE =42.067±8.751) and diveting-seeding-mulching (Mean±SE =57.625±10.02)implying that restoration interventions have no positive influence on forage biomass.It is recommended that, clearing the land and leave it without restoration is enough because the restoration options do not have positive influence on plant diversity and forage biomass
Experimental Prosopis juliflora Management Practices and Grassland Restoration in Three Eastern African Countries
(CABI, 2024-08-02) Eschen, René; Bekele, Ketema; Jumanne, Yohana; Kibet, Staline; Makale, Fernadis; Mbwambo, John; Megersa, Berhanu; Moyo, Francis; Munishi, Linus; Mwihomeke, Mickfanaka; Nunda, Winnie; Nyangito, Moses
Prosopis juliflora, a native tree species of Central and northern South America, was introduced in degraded habitats in Eastern Africa as a wind break, and as a source of fodder, fuel, and timber. P. juliflora has a high drought tolerance and has become a highly invasive tree or shrub, spreading rapidly, and transforming socio-economic systems. It negatively impacts livelihoods in many ways, including reduced income in pastoralist-dominated regions once coverage is above a certain invasion level. Management of P. juliflora is needed to restore ecosystem services, such as biodiverse grassland that provides fodder and sequesters carbon. In order to investigate which are the most effective and economically efficient management practices, a 3-year study was conducted in Ethiopia, Kenya, and Tanzania, three countries with savanna and grassland that have been invaded by P. juliflora. The management treatments being tested were: manual uprooting; cutting the stumps and applying herbicide; and basal bark herbicide treatment. Alongside these treatments, restoration interventions aimed at restoring natural vegetation were also tested, and these were: creating divots; creating divots + mulching with hay; and creating divots + mulching with hay + grass seed sowing. The control methods were all highly effective in killing P. juliflora, with methods to remove all above-ground biomass (manual and cut stump) resulting in a more productive and diverse surrounding vegetation than the basal bark herbicide treatment. The effect of the restoration interventions on vegetation composition was small, suggesting that species were re-established mostly from the soil seed bank. This case presents some of the methods and results of the study.
Experimental prosopis management practices and grassland restoration in three Eastern African countries
(Springer Nature, 2023-07-14) Eschen, René; Bekele, Ketema; Jumanne, Yohana; Kibet, Staline; Makale, Fernadis; Mbwambo, John; Megersa, Berhanu; Mijay, Mahamood; Moyo, Francis; Munishi, Linus; Mwihomeke, Mickfanaka; Nunda, Winnie; Nyangito, Moses; Witt, Arne; Schaffner, Urs
Woody species have been introduced in many parts of the world to provide economic benefits, but some of those species are now among the worst invaders, causing widespread economic and environmental damage. Management of woody species to restore original ecosystem services, such as biodiverse grassland that can provide fodder and sequester carbon, are needed to limit the impacts of alien species. However, the best management methods, i.e., the most economically efficient and effective way to remove trees and the most effective way to restore or rehabilitate the cleared land, are not developed for many species. In Eastern Africa, prosopis (Prosopis julifora) has invaded large areas of savanna and grassland, thereby affecting, among other things, fodder and water for livestock, access to dry season grazing lands and ultimately pastoral livelihoods. We tested three prosopis treatments (manual uprooting and cut stump and basal bark herbicide application) in combination with three incremental restoration interventions (divots, divots + mulching, divots + mulching + grass seed sowing). The three-year study was replicated in Ethiopia (Afar National Regional State), Kenya (Baringo county) and Tanzania (Moshi district). Prosopis survival and vegeta- tion development, both diversity and biomass, were recorded. The prosopis treatments were all highly effective (between 85 and 100% tree mortality in almost all cases), but the two treatments that involved the complete removal of the aboveground biomass (manual and cut stump) yielded a more productive and more diverse vegetation than the treatment that killed the trees standing (basal bark). Compared to the effect of prosopis removal, the effect of restoration interventions on vegetation composition was small, indicating that most species re-established from the soil seed bank. The results show that it is possible to restore land previously invaded by prosopis. Despite the differ- ent rates of vegetation establishment and variation in species composition, the restoration interventions resulted in vegetation that in some cases contained a substantial fraction of perennial grasses. The method chosen to control prosopis depends on the availability of resources, including herbicides, and the need to remove rootstocks if the intention is to plant crops.
Performance of Pinus patula in Areas Invaded by Acacia mearnsii in Sao Hill Forest Plantation, Southern Tanzania
(Taylor & Francis Online, 2020-07-06) Kingazi, Nanyika; Petro, Revocatus; Mbwambo, John; Munishi, Linus
Problems associated with the invasiveness of exotic tree species such as Acacia mearnsii have increased recently causing vast damage in environment and economy worldwide. Sao Hill Forest Plantation (SHFP) in southern Tanzania which is the potential plantation in East Africa is under Acacia mearnsii invasion which threatens the productivity of the planted species, Pinus patula. This study aimed to gather information on the performance of Pinus patula by comparing areas invaded by Acacia mearnsii with the non-invaded areas in SHFP. The study used a combination of stratified and random sampling techniques to select sample plantation blocks and plots allocation, respectively. Data collected included survival, height, and diameter of Pinus patula in both invaded and non-invaded areas as well as Acacia mearnsii stem counts in invaded areas. The mean basal area, density, and volume of Pinus patula were subjected to paired sample T-test and relationship between the density of Acacia mearnsii and survival of Pinus patula were established by Pearson’s correlation analysis in R software version 3.5.2. Results showed that survival of Pinus patula was decreasing as the density of Acacia mearnsii increased. Also, there was a significant difference in density, basal area and volume of Pinus patula between invaded and non-invaded areas with higher performance being in non-invaded areas. Results suggest that Acacia mearnsii has a negative effect on the performance of Pinus patula in both its growth and survival. This study has generated the information for which among others will help to formulate policies and strategies that will contribute to the effective and sustainable management of forest plantations that should incorporate invasive control measures to avoid the negative performance of desirable tree species.
Performance of Pinus patula in Areas Invaded by Acacia mearnsii in Sao Hill Forest Plantation, Southern Tanzania
(Taylor & Francis Online, 2020-07-06) Kingazi, Nanyika; Petro, Revocatus; Mbwambo, John; Munishi, Linus
Problems associated with the invasiveness of exotic tree species such as Acacia mearnsii have increased recently causing vast damage in environment and economy worldwide. Sao Hill Forest Plantation (SHFP) in southern Tanzania which is the potential plantation in East Africa is under Acacia mearnsii invasion which threatens the productivity of the planted species, Pinus patula. This study aimed to gather information on the performance of Pinus patula by comparing areas invaded by Acacia mearnsii with the non-invaded areas in SHFP. The study used a combination of stratified and random sampling techniques to select sample plantation blocks and plots allocation, respectively. Data collected included survival, height, and diameter of Pinus patula in both invaded and non-invaded areas as well as Acacia mearnsii stem counts in invaded areas. The mean basal area, density, and volume of Pinus patula were subjected to paired sample T-test and relationship between the density of Acacia mearnsii and survival of Pinus patula were established by Pearson’s correlation analysis in R software version 3.5.2. Results showed that survival of Pinus patula was decreasing as the density of Acacia mearnsii increased. Also, there was a significant difference in density, basal area and volume of Pinus patula between invaded and non-invaded areas with higher performance being in non-invaded areas. Results suggest that Acacia mearnsii has a negative effect on the performance of Pinus patula in both its growth and survival. This study has generated the information for which among others will help to formulate policies and strategies that will contribute to the effective and sustainable management of forest plantations that should incorporate invasive control measures to avoid the negative performance of desirable tree species.
Study of Socio-economic Drivers and community perceptions on Invasive Alien Plant Prosopis juliflora in Northern Tanzania
(International Journal of Advances in Scientific Research and Engineering (ijasre), 2023-12) Kweka, Pray; Munishi, Linus; Mbwambo, John
Prosopis juliflora (P. juliflora) is an invasive plant introduced in Tanzania for restoration and greening the degraded sites. Since its introduction in Tanzania, there has been no assessment about its associated socio-economic drivers and community perceptions in those areas of introduction. In this study, we generated information on socio-economic drivers and community perceptions on this invasive alien plant in Northern Tanzania. We employed multistage stratified random sampling technique for obtaining the sites for data collection within the effective study area. We used Focus group discussion (FDG) to collect data on social economic drivers and community perception on P. juliflora. The results indicate that, community had variation on knowledge about P. juliflora. However, its presences in block A, D, E, F, G and H are driven by the need of shade tree and fuel wood. Community perceive that it is causing effect like displacement of other plants, injuries to both human and domestic animals especially to those blocks (D, E, F and G) with its high density. Together with those effects, communities perceive not to eradicate P. juliflora in their environment unless there will be a substitute species with comparable characteristics and providing similar services obtained from it. In conclusion, the economic and social services obtained from P. juliflora are the major drivers of it to be embraced in the invaded area and majority of communities has decided to live with it in Northern Tanzania. We recommend quick awareness creation to the communities in those invaded areas is inevitable.