PhD project: Soil erosion effects on upland quality and reservoir sedimentation, and evaluating the potential use of reservoir sediment for rehabilitating degraded lands in tigray, Ethiopia

Dep. of Plant and Environmental Sciences

PhD student: Girmay Gebresamuel Abraha
Supervisor(s): Bal Ram Singh, Trond Børresen, Mituku Haile (Mekelle University, Ethiopia)
Duration: 2005-2009

Land degradation in the form of soil erosion, nutrient depletion, gullying and moisture stress is a major environmental problem in Ethiopia. Addressing the problem of soil erosion and its consequences for crop productivity, therefore require comprehensive understanding on the process of soil soil erosion and quantify its impact on soil quality. Due to the fact that transported sediments contain nutrient flux, they could be potential source for restoration of degraded soils. The study is initiated with the following objectives.

Objectives:
1. To estimate the present magnitude of soil erosion and quantify its impact on upland soil quality in quantitative means under different land management conditions.
2. To identify sediment sources and sinks of reservoir catchment
3. To evaluate reservoir sediment characteristics, and its impact on crop yield and changes in soil quality of degraded soil.
4. To develop or validate models for soil quality change and crop yield productivity response assessment.


Updated: 27.03.06
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