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Distribution and Impact of Invasive Parthenium hysterophorus on Soil Around Arusha National Park, Tanzania

Received: 22 December 2020    Accepted: 6 January 2021    Published: 26 February 2021
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Abstract

An increase of biological invasion in developing countries is threatening smallholder’s livelihoods, biodiversity conservation, agroecosystems and rangeland productivity. In Tanzania, the exotic invasive plant Parthenium hysterophorus, which is rapidly spreading in Arusha region, threatens wildlife conservation, human well–being and food security in the country. This study was conducted to assess the current distribution of P. hysterophorus and its associated soil properties within the Arusha National Park (ANP) and in adjacent villages at the park’s border zones using road surveys. Parthenium hysterophorus density was visually estimated as high, medium, and low when the invasive individuals were > 4, 3–4, and 1–2 in 1 m2 quadrats, respectively. The results showed that albeit some adjacent villages are invaded, ANP is yet not affected. Parthenium hysterophorus was observed growing in grazing areas, maize and banana fields in villages, and along road verges, with particularly high densities in maize fields, along roadsides, and at lower altitudes. Moreover, analysis of soil chemical properties showed that P. hysterophorus was associated with soils of higher Manganese and cation exchange capacity. We recommend that P. hysterophorus surveys within the ANP and other protected areas in Arusha region should be carried out regularly as the rapid expansion of P. hysterophorus threatens ANP’s ecology and biodiversity.

Published in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology (Volume 6, Issue 1)
DOI 10.11648/j.eeb.20210601.13
Page(s) 8-14
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Africa, Alien Plants, Livelihoods, Soil Properties, Weed Biology, Weed Invasion, Weed Survey

References
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  • APA Style

    Fredrick Ojija, Ndaki Marco Manyanza. (2021). Distribution and Impact of Invasive Parthenium hysterophorus on Soil Around Arusha National Park, Tanzania. Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, 6(1), 8-14. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.eeb.20210601.13

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    ACS Style

    Fredrick Ojija; Ndaki Marco Manyanza. Distribution and Impact of Invasive Parthenium hysterophorus on Soil Around Arusha National Park, Tanzania. Ecol. Evol. Biol. 2021, 6(1), 8-14. doi: 10.11648/j.eeb.20210601.13

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    AMA Style

    Fredrick Ojija, Ndaki Marco Manyanza. Distribution and Impact of Invasive Parthenium hysterophorus on Soil Around Arusha National Park, Tanzania. Ecol Evol Biol. 2021;6(1):8-14. doi: 10.11648/j.eeb.20210601.13

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  • @article{10.11648/j.eeb.20210601.13,
      author = {Fredrick Ojija and Ndaki Marco Manyanza},
      title = {Distribution and Impact of Invasive Parthenium hysterophorus on Soil Around Arusha National Park, Tanzania},
      journal = {Ecology and Evolutionary Biology},
      volume = {6},
      number = {1},
      pages = {8-14},
      doi = {10.11648/j.eeb.20210601.13},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.eeb.20210601.13},
      eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.eeb.20210601.13},
      abstract = {An increase of biological invasion in developing countries is threatening smallholder’s livelihoods, biodiversity conservation, agroecosystems and rangeland productivity. In Tanzania, the exotic invasive plant Parthenium hysterophorus, which is rapidly spreading in Arusha region, threatens wildlife conservation, human well–being and food security in the country. This study was conducted to assess the current distribution of P. hysterophorus and its associated soil properties within the Arusha National Park (ANP) and in adjacent villages at the park’s border zones using road surveys. Parthenium hysterophorus density was visually estimated as high, medium, and low when the invasive individuals were > 4, 3–4, and 1–2 in 1 m2 quadrats, respectively. The results showed that albeit some adjacent villages are invaded, ANP is yet not affected. Parthenium hysterophorus was observed growing in grazing areas, maize and banana fields in villages, and along road verges, with particularly high densities in maize fields, along roadsides, and at lower altitudes. Moreover, analysis of soil chemical properties showed that P. hysterophorus was associated with soils of higher Manganese and cation exchange capacity. We recommend that P. hysterophorus surveys within the ANP and other protected areas in Arusha region should be carried out regularly as the rapid expansion of P. hysterophorus threatens ANP’s ecology and biodiversity.},
     year = {2021}
    }
    

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  • TY  - JOUR
    T1  - Distribution and Impact of Invasive Parthenium hysterophorus on Soil Around Arusha National Park, Tanzania
    AU  - Fredrick Ojija
    AU  - Ndaki Marco Manyanza
    Y1  - 2021/02/26
    PY  - 2021
    N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.eeb.20210601.13
    DO  - 10.11648/j.eeb.20210601.13
    T2  - Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
    JF  - Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
    JO  - Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
    SP  - 8
    EP  - 14
    PB  - Science Publishing Group
    SN  - 2575-3762
    UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.eeb.20210601.13
    AB  - An increase of biological invasion in developing countries is threatening smallholder’s livelihoods, biodiversity conservation, agroecosystems and rangeland productivity. In Tanzania, the exotic invasive plant Parthenium hysterophorus, which is rapidly spreading in Arusha region, threatens wildlife conservation, human well–being and food security in the country. This study was conducted to assess the current distribution of P. hysterophorus and its associated soil properties within the Arusha National Park (ANP) and in adjacent villages at the park’s border zones using road surveys. Parthenium hysterophorus density was visually estimated as high, medium, and low when the invasive individuals were > 4, 3–4, and 1–2 in 1 m2 quadrats, respectively. The results showed that albeit some adjacent villages are invaded, ANP is yet not affected. Parthenium hysterophorus was observed growing in grazing areas, maize and banana fields in villages, and along road verges, with particularly high densities in maize fields, along roadsides, and at lower altitudes. Moreover, analysis of soil chemical properties showed that P. hysterophorus was associated with soils of higher Manganese and cation exchange capacity. We recommend that P. hysterophorus surveys within the ANP and other protected areas in Arusha region should be carried out regularly as the rapid expansion of P. hysterophorus threatens ANP’s ecology and biodiversity.
    VL  - 6
    IS  - 1
    ER  - 

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Author Information
  • Department of Applied Sciences, College of Science and Technical Education, Mbeya University of Science and Technology, Mbeya, Tanzania

  • Department of Natural Sciences, College of Science and Technical Education, Mbeya University of Science and Technology, Mbeya, Tanzania

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