Soil in Kola Tembien
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The soils of the Kola Tembien woreda (district) in Tigray (Ethiopia) reflect its longstanding agricultural history, highly seasonal rainfall regime, relatively high temperatures, overall dominance of sandstone and metamorphic lithology and steep slopes.[1]
Climate
Annual rainfall depth is very variable from year to year, but also from place to place. Whereas, there is around 500 mm annual rainfall near Tekezé River, this increases to 1600 mm in Abiy Addi, which benefits from the orographic rains induced by the Dogu'a Tembien massif.[2] Most rains fall during the main rainy season, which typically extends from June to September. Mean temperature in woreda town Abiy Addi is 22.4 °C, oscillating between average daily minimum of 12.8 °C and maximum of 31.5 °C. The contrasts between day and night air temperatures are much larger than seasonal contrasts.[3]
Geology
From the higher to the lower locations, the following geological formations are present:[4]
- Interbedded lacustrine deposits
- Lower basalt
- Adigrat Sandstone
- Enticho Sandstone
- Edaga Arbi Glacials
- Precambrian metamorphic rocks
Topography
As part of the Ethiopian Highlands the land has undergone a rapid tectonic uplift, leading the occurrence of mountain peaks, plateaus, valleys and gorges.
Land use
Generally speaking the level lands and intermediate slopes are occupied by cropland, while there is rangeland and shrubs on the steeper slopes. Remnant forests occur around Orthodox Christian churches and a few inaccessible places. A recent trend is the widespread planting of eucalyptus trees.
Environmental changes
Soil degradation in this district became important when humans started deforestation almost 5000 years ago.[5][6] Depending on land use history, locations have been exposed in varying degrees to such land degradation.
