Following rehabilitation of the degraded environment, there need to be some monitoring and management practices to sustain the rehabilitated sites. For example, techniques that enhance soil cover are important in terms of water infiltration and reduce runoff, increased biomass that will led to soil organic matter improvement in the sites and hence encourage biodiversity, are found to be of great significance in the rehabilitated sites such as those of Wazo Hill Quarry.The earthworm activities such as soil drainage is essential in enhancing aeration in the field and encourage other soil invertebrates such as ants, nematodes and ground beetles as well as soil microbe community including fungi, for example actinomycetes, bacteria such as azotobactor species and protozoa such as vampyrellids, in decomposing organic matter and nutrient cycling which foster plant life and hence rehabilitation. It is for this reason, this project will strive at analyzing the significance of earthworms and vegetation cover effect in improving soil drainage and biodiversity in the rehabilitated sites of Wazo Hill Quarry (WHQ). Application of farm yard manure is one example that can provide the source for organic matter while planting of native grass tillers will aid to good soil cover.
Analyzing the role of earthworms to improve soil drainage and biodiversity at Wazo Hill Quarry (WHQ)
Final project reportTanzania
Dar es Salaam
Biodiversity management, Rehabilitation & habitat research, Scientific research, Soil management
Quarry Life Award 2016