Epsilon Archive for Student Projects

Abstract

The demand for energy in Ethiopia is high and 95% of the used energy is biomass energy. To meet this demand eucalyptus plantations have been established around the urban centers. The high demand for fuel wood has led to a situation where all biomass is removed. The eucalyptus forest is clear-cut every seven years. In addition to official management activities there is also an extensive removal of shoots and litter. This study has looked at litter-raking and fuel wood collection and how the removal of these plant parts affects soil properties. The hypothesis was that the shoots and litter removed contain a considerable amount of nutrients, and the removal of these components contributes to depletion of soil nutrients. The study has quantified the amount of biomass removed per hectare and year in eucalyptus plantations north of Addis Ababa (i.e. Mt. Intoto). The plant parts have later been categorized into subcomponents and separately analyzed in terms of carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, sodium and magnesium. The total removal of nutrients per hectare and year is then related to the soil nutrient pool.