Determinants and rates of land degradation: Application of stationary time-series model to data from a semi-arid environment in Kenya

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dc.contributor.author Mganga, Kevin Z.
dc.contributor.author Nyariki, Dickson M.
dc.contributor.author Musimba, Nashon K. R.
dc.contributor.author Amwata, Dorothy A.
dc.date.accessioned 2018-01-10T06:47:16Z
dc.date.available 2018-01-10T06:47:16Z
dc.date.issued 2018-02
dc.identifier.citation Journal of Arid Land, Volume 10, Issue 1, pp 1–11 en_US
dc.identifier.issn 1674-6767
dc.identifier.uri https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40333-017-0036-0
dc.identifier.uri http://repository.seku.ac.ke/handle/123456789/3802
dc.description https://doi.org/10.1007/s40333-017-0036-0 en_US
dc.description.abstract The causes of land degradation in the African drylands have been shown to vary. Some researchers consider climate to be the major contributor to degradation, with anthropogenic factors playing a minor role. Others reverse the significance of these two factors. A third group attributes land degradation to climate and anthropogenic factors equally. This study was undertaken to establish the factors influencing land degradation in a semi-arid environment in south eastern Kenya and the rate of change in vegetation types for a period of 35 years (1973–2007). The reduction in grassland cover was used as an indicator of land degradation. Causes of land degradation were determined by a multiple regression analysis. A log-linear regression analysis was used to establish the rate of vegetation change. The multiple and log-linear regression analyses showed: (1) woody vegetation, livestock population and cultivated area to be the main contributors of reduction in grassland cover in the area, and (2) an increase in undesirable woody species, livestock population and cultivated area had a significant (P<0.05) negative effect on grassland vegetation. Increased human population, low amounts of rainfall and drought showed no significant negative effect on grassland vegetation cover. In conclusion, human and livestock population growth and increased agricultural land have contributed to intensive crop cultivation and overgrazing in the semi-arid lands. This overuse of the semi-arid rangelands has worsened the deterioration of the natural grassland vegetation. en_US
dc.language.iso en en_US
dc.publisher Springer Verlag en_US
dc.subject regression analysis en_US
dc.subject land degradation en_US
dc.subject grassland cover en_US
dc.subject semi-arid Kenya en_US
dc.subject Sub-Saharan Africa en_US
dc.title Determinants and rates of land degradation: Application of stationary time-series model to data from a semi-arid environment in Kenya en_US
dc.type Article en_US


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