Poster Session 1.3 Biodiversity and ecosystem services
Kai Behn, University of Bonn, Germany, presented a really informative poster at this mornings poster session. His studies are about different plant species on fallow cropland in a valley in Namulonge, Uganda.
Poster Session 1.3 Biodiversity and ecosystem services
Kai Behn, University of Bonn, Germany, presented a really informative poster at this mornings poster session. His studies are about different plant species on fallow cropland in a valley in Namulonge, Uganda.
Dynamics in recovery in terms of plant biomass an species are under investigation.
It depends on on hydrological conditions, land use and diaspores in the soil how the land recovers. He tries to discover the resilience of plant species in these systems. Informations also came from interviews with local farmers.
Important findings are:
After 10 months of fallow, 75 plant species are back on the former cropland.
They can be used as herbal medicine (29 spec.), wild vegetable (11) forage (11) or building material (4).
Firewood nutrient and soil improvement are also important usages.
Key message:
Fallow land for one or a few years can increase the productivity and quality of life in the following years.
Fallow is positive for Biodiversity and people and not a loss of cropland area.
contact information: kaibehn @ uni-bonn.de