Ecological Significance of Parthenium (parthenium hysterophorus) Weed in Southern Tigray, Northern Ethiopia

摘要

The aim of this study was to identify the ecological significance of Parthenium (parthenium hysterophorus) weed. The study has been conducted at southern zone, Tigray, Ethiopia and mainly aimed to generate better skill and knowledge on parthenium weed encroachment and its ecological consequences in the study Total of 80 respondents were interviewed with formal questionnaires to understand the impact of P. hysterophorus invasion on arable land, grazing land, and human and animal health. A systematic random sample was used for vegetation and soil sampling. Alamata and Ofla Wereda are specific study sites and at each study site 25 quadrats (0.25 m2) each in arable land and grazing land were sampled. In each quadrat, presence/absence of plant species and total number of individuals of P. hysterophorus were recorded. Soil samples were collected from each sampling plot for analyzing of soil pH, organic carbon and total nitrogen. Highly invaded plots of arable land had significantly higher (P0.05) soil organic carbon (1.5140.19%) and total nitrogen (0.09+0.01%) than less invaded plots organic carbon (0.60+0.19%) and total nitrogen (0.04+0.01%). Less invaded plots of arable and grazing lands had significantly (P0.05) higher plant species richness (5.5240.45% & 6.32+￡0.63%), diversity (5.43+0.63% &5.73+0.55%) and evenness (0.34+0.03% & 0.34+￡0.02%) than highly invaded arable and grazing lands. Species richness declined (3.88+0.63%) with increasing P.hysterophorus density (41.02￡7.56%) in highly invaded plots of grazing land. The diversity and evenness of species were significantly (P0.05) different between the highly invaded P.hysterophorus area and less invaded area in both arable and grazing land. Therefore, this study confirmed that P. hysterophorus is one of the major ecological threats in the study area that has to be given serious attention by the government and the society for its effective management. area.