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Burning, biomass removal and tillage effects on soil organic carbon and nutrients in seasonal wetlands (Dambos) of Chiota smallholder farming area, Zimbabwe

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Relation http://oar.icrisat.org/7581/
http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/03650340.2014.892583
10.1080/03650340.2014.892583
 
Title Burning, biomass removal and tillage effects on soil organic carbon and nutrients in seasonal wetlands (Dambos) of Chiota smallholder farming area, Zimbabwe
 
Creator Nyamadzawo, G
Wuta, M
Nyamangara, J
Nyamugafata, P
Tendayi, T
 
Subject Soil Science
 
Description Seasonal wetland (dambo) cultivation in smallholder farming areas is important because it improves household food security. However, most farming practices, such as burning of vegetation and conventional tillage in dambo gardens, may reduce soil organic carbon (SOC) and nutrient dynamics. We evaluated the effects of simulated burning, vegetation clearing and clipping, and conventional tillage in dambo gardens on SOC, nutrient contents and biomass production over a 3-year period. The results showed that clearing and clipping of vegetation and conventional tillage reduced SOC, soil nutrient contents and biomass yields, while burning increased SOC and soil nutrient contents. For the 0–10 cm depth, conventional tillage, clearing and clipping resulted in a 37%, 34% and 18% decrease in SOC, respectively, after three seasons, burning resulted in a 25% increase in SOC, while there were no changes in the control after 3 years. For the 0–40 cm depth, the average change in SOC was 32%, 25% and 16% for conventional tillage, clearing and clipping, respectively. Locally and regionally, conventional tillage, clearing and clipping reduce SOC, nutrient contents and biomass production in dambos. Though annual burning increased SOC and nutrient contents in the short term, the long-term effects are uncertain, hence there is a need for long-term studies.
 
Publisher Taylor & Francis
 
Date 2014
 
Type Article
PeerReviewed
 
Format application/pdf
application/pdf
 
Language en
en
 
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Identifier http://oar.icrisat.org/7581/7/biomass_burning2014.pdf
http://oar.icrisat.org/7581/1/Archi-of-agronomy-soil-scien_2014.pdf
Nyamadzawo, G and Wuta, M and Nyamangara, J and Nyamugafata, P and Tendayi, T (2014) Burning, biomass removal and tillage effects on soil organic carbon and nutrients in seasonal wetlands (Dambos) of Chiota smallholder farming area, Zimbabwe. Archives of Agronomy and Soil Science. pp. 1-17. ISSN 1476-3567