Bush cover and range condition assessments in relation to landscape and grazing in southern Ethiopia

Progressive growth of bush cover in dry savannahs is responsible for declin es in range conditions. In southern Ethiopia, the Booran pastoralists assis ted our understanding of spatial patterns of bush cover and range condition s in 54 landscape patch types grouped into six landscape units within an ar ea of 30 000 km(2). The size of landscape patches sampled was 625 m(2). We assessed the relationships between bush cover, grass cover and bare soil an d grazing pressure and soil erosion and changes in range condition. Externa lly, political conflicts and internally, break down of land use, and offici al bans on the use of fire promoted bush cover and the decline in range con ditions. Bush cover was negatively correlated with grass cover, and positiv ely correlated with bare soil. Grass cover was negatively correlated with b are soil and grazing pressure in most landscape patch types. Grazing pressu re was not significantly correlated with bush cover or bare soil, while soi l erosion was directly related to bare soil. Soil erosion was absent in 64% of the landscape patch types, and seemingly not a threat to the rangelands . The relationship between bush cover, grass cover, bare soil and soil eros ion is complex and related to climate, landscape geology, and patterns of l and use. Main threats to range conditions are bush climax, loss of grass co ver and unpalatable forbs. Currently, > 70% of the landscape patch types ar e in poor to fair range conditions. Decline in range conditions, unless rev ersed, will jeopardise the pastoral production system in southern Ethiopia.