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Effects of land-use change on the socioecological system of wetlands: a case of Boyo Wetland, Ethiopia
Thesis (PhDConsEcol)--Stellenbosch University, 2024.
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Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
2025
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| _version_ | 1867613863211433984 |
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author | Tuji, Abraham Assefa |
| author2 | Malgas, Rhoda |
| author_browse | Malgas, Rhoda Tuji, Abraham Assefa |
| author_facet | Malgas, Rhoda Tuji, Abraham Assefa |
| author_sort | Tuji, Abraham Assefa |
| collection | Thesis |
| dc_rights_str_mv | Stellenbosch University |
| description | Thesis (PhDConsEcol)--Stellenbosch University, 2024. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/131940 |
| institution | Stellenbosch University (South Africa) |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:42:53.367Z |
| license_str | Other — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| publishDate | 2025 |
| publishDateRange | 2025 |
| publishDateSort | 2025 |
| publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| publisherStr | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| spelling | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/131940 Effects of land-use change on the socioecological system of wetlands: a case of Boyo Wetland, Ethiopia Tuji, Abraham Assefa Malgas, Rhoda Jacobs, Shayne Dzama, Kennedy Alamirew, Tena Stellenbosch University. Faculty of AgriSciences. Dept. of Conservation Ecology and Entomology. Wetlands -- Ethiopia -- Boyo Land use -- Effect of human beings on Land cover Ecosystem services -- Africa Sustainable development -- Ethiopia Boyo Wetland conservation -- Ethiopia Wetlands -- Effect of grazing on Wetlands -- Environmental aspects -- Africa UCTD Thesis (PhDConsEcol)--Stellenbosch University, 2024. ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Wetlands are essential life support systems that historically played a significant role in the growth of African human civilizations. In contemporary times, wetlands contribute billions of dollar’s worth of provisioning, regulatory, supporting, and cultural services to the Ethiopian people. Wetlands are, however, under excessive pressure mainly from land cover changes, a phenomenon underpinned by ecological and social system pressures. Boyo Wetland faces the socioecological threat of degradation due to conversion to agriculture and settlement areas. Against this backdrop, the overall aim of the study was to investigate the effects of land-use change on Ethiopian wetlands framed here as socioecological systems (SES), using Boyo Wetland as a case study. The objective was to elucidate the status of Boyo wetland as a socioecological system with the application of Ostrom’s Social-Ecological Systems Framework (SESF). A multi-method study was conducted using the SESF as an organising framework. Both quantitative and qualitative data were collected from primary and secondary sources. The main instruments included household surveys, stakeholder analysis, and focus group discussions. Biophysical measurements such as land cover change analysis, and field and laboratory identification of plants and birds constituted the rest of the data sources. The land cover change detection helped to identify six land cover types. Time series analysis showed that among land cover types, crop, and settlement (built-up area) cover increased by 844%, and 1 565%, respectively, with a significant decrease in 212.5% vegetation and 55.5% grazing land between 1975 to 2021 years. The biodiversity identification study indicated that the wetland possessed 66 plant species across 27 families and 110 species of birds categorised across 37 families. Biodiversity indices also indicated that the wetland is rich in diversity of plants and birds compared to many of the hitherto studied wetlands in the country. Results from the household surveys and focus group discussions confirmed that Boyo Wetland offers local people various direct livelihood contributions in the form of ecosystem services like water for crop and livestock production, and also serves as a source of livestock grazing and fuel wood production. Applying Ostrom’s SESF to diagnose problems associated with wetland SES degradation pointed to the primary causes of the problems. Challenges at Boyo Wetland are essentially the results of the misappropriation of subtractable collective goods such as biodiversity due to collective action problems such as overuse of resources like grass, compacting and trampling of the wetland in addition to heavy erosion and siltation. These together with weak institutional responses and limited maintenance of the resource system aggravate the degradation. Major stakeholders and their characteristics such as knowledge, interest, power, and leadership capacity were identified, where the lack of appropriate lead institutions that could coordinate participatory governance and stakeholders' collaboration towards the common goal of protecting the wetland were among the major barriers to Boyo Wetland management. With the present state of socioecological management, the sustainability of the wetland is at stake. Finally, a strategy for sustainable use of the wetland has been developed in collaboration with major actors and is presented as part of the study. AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Vleilande is noodsaaklike lewensondersteuningstelsels wat histories 'n betekenisvolle rol gespeel het in die groei van Afrikaanse menslike beskawings. In die hedendaagse tyd dra vleilande by tot miljarde dollar se waarde in voorsienings-, regulerende, ondersteunende en kulturele dienste aan die Ethiopiese mense. Vleilande verkeer egter onder oormatige druk, hoofsaaklik as gevolg van veranderinge in grondbedekking, 'n verskynsel wat gewortel is in ekologiese en sosiale stelsels wat onder druk verkeer. Die Boyo-vleiland staar 'n sosio-ekologiese bedreiging van agteruitgang in die gesig as gevolg van omskakeling na landbou- en nedersettingsgebiede. Teen hierdie agtergrond was die hoofdoel van die studie om die effekte van grondgebruikverandering op Ethiopiese vleilande, hier geraam as sosio- ekologiese stelsels (SES), te ondersoek deur die Boyo-vleiland as 'n gevallestudie te gebruik. Die doel was om die status van die Boyo-vleiland as 'n sosio-ekologiese stelsel te verduidelik deur die toepassing van Ostrom se Sosio-ekologiese Stelselraamwerk (Social-Ecological Systems Framework (SESF)). 'n Multi-metodestudie is uitgevoer deur die SESF as 'n organiserende raamwerk te gebruik. Beide kwantitatiewe en kwalitatiewe data is van primêre en sekondêre bronne versamel. Die hoofinstrumente het huishoudelike opnames, belanghebbende-analises en fokusgroepbesprekings ingesluit. Biofisiese metings soos analise van veranderings in grondbedek, sowel as veld- en laboratoriumidentifikasie van plante en voëls, het die res van die databronne aangevul. Die bevindinge van veranderinge in grondbedek het gehelp om ses tipes grondbedekking te identifiseer. Tydreeksanalise het getoon dat, onder die grondbedekkingstipes, gewasse en nedersettings (beboude gebiede) onderskeidelik met 844% en 1 565% toegeneem het, terwyl daar 'n beduidende afname van 212,5% in plantegroei en 55,5% in weidingsgrond tussen die jare 1975 en 2021 was. Die biodiversiteitsidentifikasiestudie het aangedui dat die vleiland oor 66 plantspesies en 27 families en 110 spesies voëls gekategoriseer oor 37 families beskik. Biodiversiteitsindekse het ook aangedui dat die vleiland ryk is aan diversiteit van plante en voëls in vergelyking met baie ander vleilande wat tot dusver in die land bestudeer is. Resultate van die huishoudelike opnames en fokusgroepbesprekings het bevestig dat die Boyo-vleiland plaaslike gemeenskappe verskeie direkte lewensonderhoudsbydraes bied in die vorm van ekosisteemdienste soos water vir gewas- en veeproduksie, en ook dien as 'n bron vir veeweiding en brandhoutproduksie. Die toepassing van Ostrom se SESF om probleme wat verband hou met die agteruitgang van die vleiland-SES te diagnoseer, het gewys op die primêre oorsake van die probleme. Uitdagings by die Boyo-vleiland is hoofsaaklik die gevolg van die verkeerde gebruik van subtraktiewe kollektiewe goed soos biodiversiteit, as gevolg van kollektiewe aksieprobleme soos oorbenutting van hulpbronne soos weiding, die kompak en vertrapping van die vleiland, sowel as swaar erosie en slikafsetting. Hierdie faktore, saam met swak institusionele reaksies en beperkte instandhouding van die hulpbronsisteem, vererger die agteruitgang. Belangrike belanghebbendes en hul eienskappe soos kennis, belang, mag en leierskapskapasiteit is geïdentifiseer. Waar die gebrek aan toepaslike leidinggewende instellings wat deelnemende bestuur en samewerking tussen belanghebbendes na die gemeenskaplike doel van die beskerming van die vleiland kan koördineer, dra by tit van die belangrikste struikelblokke in die bestuur van die Boyo-vleiland was. Met die huidige stand van sosio-ekologiese bestuur is die volhoubaarheid van die vleiland in gedrang. Laastens is 'n strategie vir die volhoubare gebruik van die vleiland ontwikkel in samewerking met belangrike rolspelers en word dit as deel van die studie voorgehou. Doctoral 2025-04-30T06:43:28Z 2025-04-30T06:43:28Z 2024-12 Thesis https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/131940 Stellenbosch University xix, 169 pages : illustrations (some color), maps application/pdf Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| spellingShingle | Wetlands -- Ethiopia -- Boyo Land use -- Effect of human beings on Land cover Ecosystem services -- Africa Sustainable development -- Ethiopia Boyo Wetland conservation -- Ethiopia Wetlands -- Effect of grazing on Wetlands -- Environmental aspects -- Africa UCTD Tuji, Abraham Assefa Effects of land-use change on the socioecological system of wetlands: a case of Boyo Wetland, Ethiopia |
| title | Effects of land-use change on the socioecological system of wetlands: a case of Boyo Wetland, Ethiopia |
| title_full | Effects of land-use change on the socioecological system of wetlands: a case of Boyo Wetland, Ethiopia |
| title_fullStr | Effects of land-use change on the socioecological system of wetlands: a case of Boyo Wetland, Ethiopia |
| title_full_unstemmed | Effects of land-use change on the socioecological system of wetlands: a case of Boyo Wetland, Ethiopia |
| title_short | Effects of land-use change on the socioecological system of wetlands: a case of Boyo Wetland, Ethiopia |
| title_sort | effects of land use change on the socioecological system of wetlands a case of boyo wetland ethiopia |
| topic | Wetlands -- Ethiopia -- Boyo Land use -- Effect of human beings on Land cover Ecosystem services -- Africa Sustainable development -- Ethiopia Boyo Wetland conservation -- Ethiopia Wetlands -- Effect of grazing on Wetlands -- Environmental aspects -- Africa UCTD |
| url | https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/131940 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT tujiabrahamassefa effectsoflandusechangeonthesocioecologicalsystemofwetlandsacaseofboyowetlandethiopia |