Impacts of deforestation on selected soil fertility status: the case of Cheliya District, West Shoa Zone, Oromia national regional state, Ethiopia

Abstract

The objective was to assess impacts of deforestation on selected soil fertility status in Chellia District, West Shoa zone of Oromia Regional National State, Ethiopia. The experiment was undertaken in selected deforested areas for soil fertility status by descriptive cross-sectional method which describes and obtains relevant and various forms of data concerning the existing current status of the study area. The data for the study were collected through field observation and laboratory test. Two representative composite soil samples were collected in zigzag manner from the upper (0-20 cm) depth of the top soil from the forest and deforested lands. The study was mainly focused on analyzing the soil physicochemical and fertility status between forest and deforested lands. The cumulative values of deforestation were decreasing the marginal status of soil nutrients, showing that the overall soil condition in the deforested land was deteriorating and getting below the condition of the soils under the forest lands. The comparisons between the forest and deforested lands revealed a highly significant difference on major soil fertility parameters. Therefore, there is a need to develop sustainable forest management and practicing afforestation and reforestation programs to overcome the deterioration of soil fertility of the present study area.