Estimating carrying capacity and stocking rates of rangelands in Harshin District, Eastern Somali Region, Ethiopia
Abstract We conducted a quantitative assessment of forage biomass in Harshin district to determine its annual productive potential, carrying capacity, and stocking rates. The dominant Land Use and Land Cover include woodland (35.5%), shrubs (28.3%), grassland (10.6%), and bare land (25.5%). The regi...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wiley
2019-12-01
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| Series: | Ecology and Evolution |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.5786 |
| _version_ | 1818846282144284672 |
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| author | Derege Tsegaye Meshesha Muhyadin Moahmmed Dahir Yosuf |
| author_facet | Derege Tsegaye Meshesha Muhyadin Moahmmed Dahir Yosuf |
| author_sort | Derege Tsegaye Meshesha |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract We conducted a quantitative assessment of forage biomass in Harshin district to determine its annual productive potential, carrying capacity, and stocking rates. The dominant Land Use and Land Cover include woodland (35.5%), shrubs (28.3%), grassland (10.6%), and bare land (25.5%). The region has browse‐rich shrubland that is edible to dromedary and goats, as well as massive grassland plains for sheep and cattle. The interannual rainfall variation is 16.5% which implies that the rangeland is a subsistence equilibrium system. The range of forage production is between 105 and 2,310 kg/ha, whereas the average productivity of the district is 742.6 kg/ha. The result indicates that the average carrying capacity of the district is 0.3 TLU ha−1 year−1 (4.9 ha TLU−1 year−1) while the existing stocking rate is 5.4 TLU ha−1 year−1 (0.18 ha TLU−1 year−1). This implies that the grazing intensity in the district is much higher than its carrying capacity (recommended rate), which has seen overstocking or grazing pressure excesses of 5.1 TLU/ha (7.2 cattle/ha). Thus, it clearly signals the risk of overgrazing in the district. If this trend continues, the grazing will not be sustainable and there will be shortage of forage as well as expansion of land degradation (due to overgrazing) in the near future. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-19T05:43:04Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-54d1de9b73e04272a5350a5daca199d9 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2045-7758 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-19T05:43:04Z |
| publishDate | 2019-12-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Ecology and Evolution |
| spelling | doaj.art-54d1de9b73e04272a5350a5daca199d92022-12-21T20:33:57ZengWileyEcology and Evolution2045-77582019-12-01923133091331910.1002/ece3.5786Estimating carrying capacity and stocking rates of rangelands in Harshin District, Eastern Somali Region, EthiopiaDerege Tsegaye Meshesha0Muhyadin Moahmmed1Dahir Yosuf2Institute of Pastoral and Agro‐Pastoral Development Studies (IPADS) Jijiga University Jijiga EthiopiaInstitute of Pastoral and Agro‐Pastoral Development Studies (IPADS) Jijiga University Jijiga EthiopiaInstitute of Pastoral and Agro‐Pastoral Development Studies (IPADS) Jijiga University Jijiga EthiopiaAbstract We conducted a quantitative assessment of forage biomass in Harshin district to determine its annual productive potential, carrying capacity, and stocking rates. The dominant Land Use and Land Cover include woodland (35.5%), shrubs (28.3%), grassland (10.6%), and bare land (25.5%). The region has browse‐rich shrubland that is edible to dromedary and goats, as well as massive grassland plains for sheep and cattle. The interannual rainfall variation is 16.5% which implies that the rangeland is a subsistence equilibrium system. The range of forage production is between 105 and 2,310 kg/ha, whereas the average productivity of the district is 742.6 kg/ha. The result indicates that the average carrying capacity of the district is 0.3 TLU ha−1 year−1 (4.9 ha TLU−1 year−1) while the existing stocking rate is 5.4 TLU ha−1 year−1 (0.18 ha TLU−1 year−1). This implies that the grazing intensity in the district is much higher than its carrying capacity (recommended rate), which has seen overstocking or grazing pressure excesses of 5.1 TLU/ha (7.2 cattle/ha). Thus, it clearly signals the risk of overgrazing in the district. If this trend continues, the grazing will not be sustainable and there will be shortage of forage as well as expansion of land degradation (due to overgrazing) in the near future.https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.5786carrying capacityforage biomassgrazing landstocking ratestropical livestock unit |
| spellingShingle | Derege Tsegaye Meshesha Muhyadin Moahmmed Dahir Yosuf Estimating carrying capacity and stocking rates of rangelands in Harshin District, Eastern Somali Region, Ethiopia Ecology and Evolution carrying capacity forage biomass grazing land stocking rates tropical livestock unit |
| title | Estimating carrying capacity and stocking rates of rangelands in Harshin District, Eastern Somali Region, Ethiopia |
| title_full | Estimating carrying capacity and stocking rates of rangelands in Harshin District, Eastern Somali Region, Ethiopia |
| title_fullStr | Estimating carrying capacity and stocking rates of rangelands in Harshin District, Eastern Somali Region, Ethiopia |
| title_full_unstemmed | Estimating carrying capacity and stocking rates of rangelands in Harshin District, Eastern Somali Region, Ethiopia |
| title_short | Estimating carrying capacity and stocking rates of rangelands in Harshin District, Eastern Somali Region, Ethiopia |
| title_sort | estimating carrying capacity and stocking rates of rangelands in harshin district eastern somali region ethiopia |
| topic | carrying capacity forage biomass grazing land stocking rates tropical livestock unit |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.5786 |
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