Fundamental Concepts Underlying Strutural Activities of Selected Trees’ Roots on the Performance of the Adjacent Native Grass Pastures

Abstract

Tree root growth structure is a major pathway of enhancing uptake of water and minerals salts to the soil. The main objective of the study was to evaluate the fundamental concept underlying structural activities of selected trees’ roots on the performance of the adjacent native grass pastures. The study evaluated the effect of tree stand from a distance of 1, 10, 20,30,40,50 and 60m. A vertical removal of top soil up to 60cm was done. Using vertical soil profile exposed after removal of soil, a small grid cell measures 5x5cm was used to mark the area where roots were exposed. A small knife was used to remove the surrounding soil. The exposed roots were counted inside the area marked by the grid cell. The number of intersection roots of diameters (fine roots between 0.1-1mm,medium roots 1mm-1cm and large diameter roots over 1cm) were manually counted. To the obtain the above ground grass biomass, a radial circle sampling method was used with a radius of 1m all around the marked points in the direction of 0°, 45°, 90°, 135°, 180°, 225°, 270° and 315°. A quadrat 0.25m2 was laid on each direction and grass samples were collected inside the quadrat. Each marked points (1, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 and 60m); a serrated knife was used to harvest the grasses that grow the area surrounded by the quadrat. The harvested grass samples were put carefully in labelled bag that included quadrat number and the area collected. The results of the study show that tree root growth morphology influences resource supply to the adjacent native grass pastures. The findings is thought to provide valuable information to National Environmental Management Authority (NEMA), community leaders, extension officers, farmers and NGOs