Eco-Restoration Assessment of Typical Semi-Arid Land Uses Through Biomass Carbon Stock and Soil Physiochemical Properties

Abstract

Land degradation is a major problem in semi-arid areas, impacting ecosystem services and sustainable development goals. This study evaluates the effectiveness of Exclosures (ExcL) as a restoration approach compared to open grazing land (GrazL) in Ethiopia's Tigray region. Soil properties and plant diversity indices were used to assess ExcL's efficiency. The study analyzed 62 plots for trees, shrubs, and soil samples in ExcL and GrazL. It identified 243 woody species, with 174 in ExcL and 69 in GrazL, representing 25 genera and 14 families. ExcL exhibited higher species richness, above and below-ground biomass, root/shoot ratio, and the number of perennials. Soil organic carbon (SOC), total nitrogen (TN), cation exchange capacity (CEC), available phosphorus, and potassium were significantly higher in ExcL. Correlations indicated positive associations between soil properties and plant indices. There were strong positive correlations between SOC, TN, CEC, phosphorus and potassium availability, clay, silt, sand, and above/below-ground biomass. Conversely, soil bulk density showed a negative association with land use types. These results demonstrate the effectiveness of ExcL in enhancing ecological diversity and improving land quality in previously degraded sites, particularly in semi-arid regions. Implementing ExcL can contribute to achieving sustainable development goals, specifically SDG 15, in Tigray.

Keywords: Ecological restoration, Exclosure, Open grazing land, Sustainable land management, SDG 15: Life on Land