Nematode distribution in cultivated and undisturbed soils of Guinea Savannah and Semi-deciduous Forest zones of Ghana
Climate change affects air temperature, sea levels as well as the soil and its ecosystem. The Guinea Savannah and Semi-deciduous Forest zones of Ghana are characterized by different climatic conditions and vegetative cover. Annual average temperature has been steadily increasing whilst annual total...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2019-03-01
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| Series: | Geoscience Frontiers |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1674987117301342 |
| _version_ | 1797763626678878208 |
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| author | Obed Asiedu Charles Kodia Kwoseh Haddish Melakeberhan Thomas Adjei-Gyapong |
| author_facet | Obed Asiedu Charles Kodia Kwoseh Haddish Melakeberhan Thomas Adjei-Gyapong |
| author_sort | Obed Asiedu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Climate change affects air temperature, sea levels as well as the soil and its ecosystem. The Guinea Savannah and Semi-deciduous Forest zones of Ghana are characterized by different climatic conditions and vegetative cover. Annual average temperature has been steadily increasing whilst annual total rainfall has been decreasing in both zones, and this has been causing a southward shift of the Savannah into the Forest zone. Soil organisms provide crucial ecosystem services which are required for sustainable agriculture and food production yet crop cultivation disturbs the soil ecosystem. The harsh conditions associated with the Savannah further expose the soil ecosystem to disturbance and loss of biodiversity which threatens food production and security. Soil nematodes are the most abundant animals in the soil and play a central and critical role in the soil food web complex. Studying the nematode community structure gives a reflection of the status of the entire soil ecosystem. Soil samples were taken from cultivated and natural landscapes in the Guinea Savannah and Semi-deciduous Forest agroecological zones to analyse the nematode community. Results from the study showed the Guinea Savannah zone recording warmer soil temperatures, lower organic matter percentage and lower nematode diversity (Genus Richness) as compared to the Semi-deciduous Forest zone. If the Savannah continues to shift southward, the Forest zone soil ecosystem risks disturbance and loss of biodiversity due to the harsh Savannah conditions. Our findings indicate that prevailing crop cultivation practices also disturb soil ecosystem in the two ecological zones which span across West Africa. A disturbed soil ecosystem endangers the future of food production and food security. Keywords: Climate change, Guinea Savannah, Semi-deciduous Forest, Soil temperature, Soil nematode diversity |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-12T19:44:09Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-450562872ad44e49ab8702631d8a0698 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1674-9871 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-12T19:44:09Z |
| publishDate | 2019-03-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Geoscience Frontiers |
| spelling | doaj.art-450562872ad44e49ab8702631d8a06982023-08-02T03:36:57ZengElsevierGeoscience Frontiers1674-98712019-03-01102381387Nematode distribution in cultivated and undisturbed soils of Guinea Savannah and Semi-deciduous Forest zones of GhanaObed Asiedu0Charles Kodia Kwoseh1Haddish Melakeberhan2Thomas Adjei-Gyapong3Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, GhanaKwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana; Corresponding author.Michigan State University, 93 Giltner Hall, East Lansing, MI 48824, USAKwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, GhanaClimate change affects air temperature, sea levels as well as the soil and its ecosystem. The Guinea Savannah and Semi-deciduous Forest zones of Ghana are characterized by different climatic conditions and vegetative cover. Annual average temperature has been steadily increasing whilst annual total rainfall has been decreasing in both zones, and this has been causing a southward shift of the Savannah into the Forest zone. Soil organisms provide crucial ecosystem services which are required for sustainable agriculture and food production yet crop cultivation disturbs the soil ecosystem. The harsh conditions associated with the Savannah further expose the soil ecosystem to disturbance and loss of biodiversity which threatens food production and security. Soil nematodes are the most abundant animals in the soil and play a central and critical role in the soil food web complex. Studying the nematode community structure gives a reflection of the status of the entire soil ecosystem. Soil samples were taken from cultivated and natural landscapes in the Guinea Savannah and Semi-deciduous Forest agroecological zones to analyse the nematode community. Results from the study showed the Guinea Savannah zone recording warmer soil temperatures, lower organic matter percentage and lower nematode diversity (Genus Richness) as compared to the Semi-deciduous Forest zone. If the Savannah continues to shift southward, the Forest zone soil ecosystem risks disturbance and loss of biodiversity due to the harsh Savannah conditions. Our findings indicate that prevailing crop cultivation practices also disturb soil ecosystem in the two ecological zones which span across West Africa. A disturbed soil ecosystem endangers the future of food production and food security. Keywords: Climate change, Guinea Savannah, Semi-deciduous Forest, Soil temperature, Soil nematode diversityhttp://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1674987117301342 |
| spellingShingle | Obed Asiedu Charles Kodia Kwoseh Haddish Melakeberhan Thomas Adjei-Gyapong Nematode distribution in cultivated and undisturbed soils of Guinea Savannah and Semi-deciduous Forest zones of Ghana Geoscience Frontiers |
| title | Nematode distribution in cultivated and undisturbed soils of Guinea Savannah and Semi-deciduous Forest zones of Ghana |
| title_full | Nematode distribution in cultivated and undisturbed soils of Guinea Savannah and Semi-deciduous Forest zones of Ghana |
| title_fullStr | Nematode distribution in cultivated and undisturbed soils of Guinea Savannah and Semi-deciduous Forest zones of Ghana |
| title_full_unstemmed | Nematode distribution in cultivated and undisturbed soils of Guinea Savannah and Semi-deciduous Forest zones of Ghana |
| title_short | Nematode distribution in cultivated and undisturbed soils of Guinea Savannah and Semi-deciduous Forest zones of Ghana |
| title_sort | nematode distribution in cultivated and undisturbed soils of guinea savannah and semi deciduous forest zones of ghana |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1674987117301342 |
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