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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The soils of the Kilte Awula’ilo woreda (district) in Tigray, Ethiopia reflect its longstanding agricultural history, highly seasonal rainfall regime, relatively low temperatures, the presence of a wide depression at the foot of the Atsbi horst and steep slopes. Outstanding features in the soilscape are the wide ancient fluvial deposits, the soils of the granite batholith, cuestas and fertile lands behind tufa dams.[1][2][3]
Annual rainfall depth is very variable with an average of around 600 mm.[4] Most rains fall during the main rainy season, which typically extends from June to September. Mean temperature in woreda town Wuqro is 22.2 °C, oscillating between average daily minimum of 12.6 °C and maximum of 31.1 °C. The contrasts between day and night air temperatures are much larger than seasonal contrasts.[5]
The following geological formations are present:[5]
As part of the Ethiopian highlands the land has undergone a rapid tectonic uplift, leading the occurrence of mountain peaks, plateaus, valleys and gorges.
Generally speaking, the level lands and intermediate slopes are occupied by cropland, while there is rangeland and shrubs on the steeper slopes. Remnant forests occur around Orthodox Christian churches and a few inaccessible places. A recent trend is the widespread planting of eucalyptus trees.
Soil degradation in this district became important when humans started deforestation almost 5000 years ago.[8][9] Depending on land use history, locations have been exposed in varying degrees to such land degradation.
Given the complex geology and topography of the district, it has been organised into land systems - areas with specific and unique geomorphic and geological characteristics, characterised by a particular soil distribution along the soil catena.[10][11][12] Soil types are classified in line with World Reference Base for Soil Resources and reference made to main characteristics that can be observed in the field.
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The reduced soil protection by vegetation cover, combined with steep slopes and erosive rainfall has led to excessive soil erosion.[8][13][14] Nutrients and organic matter were lost and soil depth was reduced. Hence, soil erosion is an important problem, which results in low crop yields and biomass production.[15] Given the strong degradation and thanks to the hard labour of many people in the villages, soil conservation is carried out on a large scale since the 1980s and especially 1980s; this has curbed rates of soil loss.[16] Measures include the construction of infiltration trenches, stone bunds,[17] check dams,[18] small reservoirs such as La'ilay Wuqro and May Azaboy as well as a major biological measure: exclosures in order to allow forest regeneration.[19] On the other hand, it remains difficult to convince farmers to carry out measures within the farmland (in situ soil management), such as bed and furrows or zero grazing, as there is a fear for loss of income from the land. Such techniques are however very effective.[20]
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