CHARACTERISTICS AND CLASSIFICATION OF THE SOILS OF THE PLATEAU OF SIMEN MOUNTAINS NATIONAL PARK (SMNP), ETHIOPIA

Abstract

The Simen Mountains National Park (SMNP) is found in the Simen Mountains (North
Gonder). Detailed soil survey (scale 1:25 000) was conducted to classify, characterise and determine
status of the soils of the plateau of SMNP. Umbric Andosols, Luvic Andosols and Mollic-Lithic Leptosols
were found to be the major soil types. Land use and topographic attributes affected many of the
characteristics of the soils. Thickness of total and topsoil depth decreased with increase in slope
gradient and altitude. Whereas the whole of the study area was once covered by dark topsoil, this
characteristic was lost in many of the cultivated soils. Under natural conditions, the soils had high levels
of andic properties (which fixed P availability) and high contents of surface organic carbon (commonly
over 6%), and total nitrogen (>0.4%), available water holding capacity (over 30%) and CEC (>30 Cmolc
kg-1 soil). Contents of organic carbon, total nitrogen, available phosphorus, water holding capacity,
levels of pH and topsoil depth were most sensitive to degradation and lowered in quality under
cultivation, suggesting the need having awareness in their management under cultivated soils. Crop
and animal production expanded to higher altitudes and steeper slopes (>80%) where the rare wild
animals existed, which would cause their displacement and extinction. Therefore, coexistence of
farming population and wild animals could not become sustainable in the SMNP. This calls for a
development of sound land use plan in order to preserve (and conserve) natural resources in general
and the soil resources in particular