Journal Articles
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Item Projects’ Critical Success Factors: Empirical Study of Non-Governmental Organizations in Uasin Gishu County, Kenya(International Journal of Innovative Research and Development, 2014-05-13) Rotich, Jackson K.; Wanyama, Kadian Wanyonyi; Douglas, Musiega; Mamuli, LauraProjects remain to be universal in all entities of life, but then ironically, the poor performance of projects and the disappointment of projects appear to be a commonest scenario. Most projects failed to be delivered within the expected time frame, quality and budget. The study was aimed at investigating the projects’ critical success factors in Uasin Gishu County. A conceptual framework guided the study and a descriptive survey design was adopted. The target population consisted of the seven project managers and 29 Field Coordinators from the seven NGOs. All the 36 respondents were used in the study, hence forming a census study. A purposive sampling technique was used to select project managers. The questionnaires and interview schedule were the instruments used for data collection. The research adopted the content validity while consistency of instruments was established through test re-test method. An alpha value of 0.797 was obtained. The data collected was analyzed through both descriptive and inferential statistics (Criticality Index and regression analysis).Results indicate that project leadership, planning, monitoring and evaluation affect positively and significantly (p<0.05) project success among NGOs. The study recommended that there is need to develop quality leadership among project managers and employees. Project plans should be accurately written and implemented to letter. Monitoring and evaluation should be reinforced in the organisations during projects management. The research findings will assist policy makers and stakeholders in the counties in enhancing successful completion of projects, taking in considerations of the critical factors that affect project success.Item Impact of motivation as HR bundle on performance of teachers of public schools in Bungoma County(African Journal of Business Management, 2014-02-13) Wanyonyi, Kadian Wanyama; Nassiuma, Dankit; Zakayo, C.The challenge for managers today is to keep the staff motivated and performing well in the workplace. By understanding employees' needs, managers can understand what rewards to use to motivate them. The goal of most companies is to benefit from positive employee behavior in the workplace by promoting a win–win situation for both the company and workers. This research sought to determine the impact of motivation as a HR bundle on teacher performance of public schools in Bungoma County. The study had the following hypothesis: there is no significant impact of motivation on teacher performance of public schools in Bungoma County. The study adopted descriptive and correlational survey designs. Validity of the research instruments was based on the three overarching forms of validity: content, face and construct validity. Reliability coefficient yielded a Cronbach’s alpha of 0.90. The data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and inferential statistics, namely, regression analysis and ANOVA. The main finding of this study was that motivation and as HR bundles had a marginally weak positive and significant association with teacher performance of public schools in Bungoma County.Item Job Promotion and Employee Performance among the Administration Police in Bungoma County, Kenya(Cross Current International Journal of Economics, Management and Media Studies, 2020-02-15) Ligare, Belyndah Shitakwa; Wanyonyi, Kadian Wanyama; Aliata, Victor LusalaAccording to Kenya Police Service Annual Crime Reports (KPSACR) of 2016, the number of criminal offences is still on the increase with the 2013, 2014 and 2015 reports evidencing an offence number of 71832, 72,490 and 73,376 respectively. Based on this upward trend, it is still unclear if the trend is related to human resource practices such as job promotion as applied in the administration police which in turn have an effect on the performance of the administration police. In the service industry, especially the Kenya National Police Service, little research has been conducted on job promotion and employee performance especially in Bungoma County. The purpose of this study was to establish the influence of job promotion on the performance of administration police. The study adopted a descriptive survey design. The target population was 1,318 administration police officers in Bungoma County rom which a sample size of 384 respondents was used. Questionnaires were the main instruments used to collect primary data. Stratified random sampling, simple random sampling and systematic random sampling techniques were used. Data was analyzed using both descriptive and inferential statistics. Reliability analysis gave an average Cronbach alpha value of 0.8034 which indicated that the instruments were reliable. Results of the study showed that there was a statistically significant positive relationship between job promotion and employee performance and that job promotion accounted for 71.3% (R2 = 0.713) variations in the employee performance. It was concluded that if job promotion was well executed in the administration police, the performance of the staff would be enhanced. The following were the recommendations of the study: organizations should adhere strictly to its promotion policy, ensure promotion process is fair and that employees are promoted based on merit. The findings of this study is expected to inform administration police management policy makers, the government and other stakeholders on relevance and implications of on job promotion in the administration police aimed at improving the performance of staff.Item Effect of Business Financing on the Performance of Small and Medium Enterprises in Lurambi Sub-County, Kenya(European Journal of Business and Management, 2016-05-13) Manini, Muganda Munir; Abdillahi, Umulkher Ali; Wanyonyi, Kadian Wanyama; Simiyu, JohnThe purpose of this study was to examine the effect of sources of business financing on the financial performance of Small and Medium enterprises in Lurambi Sub-County. Specifically, the study sought to examine the effect of commercial loan-financing on the financial performance of Small and medium enterprises; to assess the effect of retained earnings financing on the financial performance of Small and medium enterprises and to establish the effect of trade credit financing on the financial performance of Small and medium enterprises in Lurambi Sub-County. Descriptive survey was used. The population of interest comprised of 450 small and medium enterprises in Lurambi Sub-County. Stratified random sampling was used to select 88 small and medium enterprises. The survey instrument used was questionnaires which were administered to owners and managers. Analysis of data was done using descriptive and inferential statistics. The study established that sources of business financing affected financial performance of small and medium enterprises significantly; commercial loan financing affected financial performance significantly; retained earnings financing affected financial performance significantly; trade credit financing affected financial performance of small and medium enterprises significantly. The study recommends that small and medium enterprises should make use of commercial loan financing, retained earnings financing and trade credit financing for them to realize higher levels of financial performance. The Government of Kenya should encourage lenders to share the financing risks with the government in order to reduce the cost of financing.Item Influence of occupational health and safety programmers on performance of manufacturing firms in Western Province, Kenya(African Journal of History and Culture, 2012-05-12) Makori, Ezekiel M.; O. M. J. Nandi; Thuo, J. K.; Wanyonyi, Kadian W.Occupational health and safety continues to be one of the most critical but highly criticized issues within the discipline of human resource management. The purpose of the study was to investigate the influence of health and safety programmes on performance of manufacturing firms in Western Province, Kenya. The study presents the results on an empirical study conducted. The study utilized a convenient sample by using all manufacturing firms in Western Kenya. Content validity and reliability of the research instruments were done through test retest method using one of the manufacturing firms which was not included in the final analysis. Reliability coefficient yielded a Cronbach’s alpha of 0.88. The data from all the manufacturing firms was collected and analyzed using descriptive statistics and inferential statistical tools like Pearson correlation, simple regression and one way ANOVA. The study findings showed a moderate positive relationship between occupational health and safety programmes (OHSP) and organizational performance of manufacturing firms. This was an indication that OHSP were not efficient in the studied firms, thus, affecting organizational performance of these firms in terms of sales, profitability, production, order delivery, reputation, target achievement, product quality and production costs. Management of firms must put in place policies and structures for improving occupational health and safety. They should not wait to form ad hoc committees (after an accident has occurred), whose recommendations may not be implemented. Organizations should put in place active health and safety committees which should be given mandate to implement their recommendations. Everyone in the organization should adhere to laid down policies, rules and safety precautions to reduce accidents. The study results provide vital information to managers, researchers and academicians on the relevance of occupational health and safety in business organizations.Item Modeling the Spatial Impact of Climate Change on Grevy’s Zebra (Equus grevyi) niche in Kenya(Elixir Remote Sensing, 2013-09-07) Kigen, C.; Okoth, P.; Konje, Martha Muthoni; Shivoga, W.; Ochieno, D.; Wanjala, S.; Agevi, H.; Onyando, Z.; Soy, B.; Kisoyan, P.; Makindi, S.Although Grevy’s zebra (Equus grevyi) is listed as endangered species and is an important attraction in Kenya’s tourism industry, there have been no attempts to model the implications of climate change on their niche. This study modeled the potential current and future (the year 2080) distribution in Kenya. The E. grevyi location data were sourced from published literature and climate data was downloaded from world climate database website and analysis done using MaxEnt and DIVA-GIS. The model generated an excellent AUC of 0.984 and the future niche is shown to expand. The main five variables contributing more than 2% of change in niche expansion are isothermality, precipitation of coldest quarter, annual mean temperature, annual precipitation, min temperature of coldest period and precipitation of wettest quarter. The generated information will assist conservation policy makers to make informed decisions.Item Forage Availability and Quality for the Impala (Aepyceros Melampus (Brian) Kathryh) of Impala Sanctuary, Kenya(International Journal of Recent Scientific Research, 2014-10-07) Obiet, Lenard; Konje, Martha Muthoni; Francis, Muyekho; Danyuku, Esther; Kigen, Charles; Wamalwa, Stella; Kassilly, Fredrick; Wabusya, MosesForage availability and grazing pattern for the impala (Aepyceros melampus (Brian) Kathryh) in three ecosystems of the Impala sanctuary, Kenya was assessed during the wet and dry seasons. The grazing behavior of the impalas was observed to identify the preferred forage species and patterns grazing between seasons and ecosystems. Preferred grass species were sampled to determine percentage dry matter, neutral detergent fiber, acid detergent fibers, and Crude protein. Data was subjected to Analysis of Variance using SAS version 9.0. The results showed that impala sanctuary had 37 different grass species but Cynodon dactylon, Eragrostis curvula, Digitaris scalarum, Eleusine indica, Pennisetum setaceum and Hyparrhenia filipendula were most grazed on by the Impala. Grassland ecosystem had significantly high forage availability during the wet season, but in the dry season the marshes ecosystem was the one with the most nutritious forages. Grazing patterns varied with seasons, with most impalas preferring to graze in the grassland during the wet season and in the marshes during the dry season. The study suggests management practices that favor dominance of species that are most foraged in order to increase forage availability for the impalas in the sanctuary.Item Physicochemical characteristics and Biodegradability of organic fraction of solid wastes generated in Eldoret Municipality, Kenya(Research Journal of Environmental and Earth Sciences, 2016-05-13) Khatiebi, Sandra; Siamba, Donald Namasaka; Konje, Martha Muthoni; Mulambalah, Chrispinus SitetiThis study was designed to characterise and assess the biodegradability of the organic portion of the waste from a fast growing agricultural urban centre, Eldoret, in North Rift of Kenya. This is because new strategies for waste management are aimed at integrating mechanical, thermal and biological processing for energy and reduction of the volume of waste to be disposed. Therefore bbiological methods are designed degrade organic carbon of MSW under controlled conditions to produce desired quality for final disposal should take into account, the proportions and characteristics of the components as a factor that would influence the biodegradability of the wastes. The study was carried out in Eldoret municipality, a fast expanding urban setting in Western Kenya that serves as an administrative centre of Uasin Gishu County. Waste samples were collected on delivery at dumpsite and categorised by source of waste based on the economic status of the households. Waste composition, proximate analysis for crude nutrients, volatile solids and biochemical gas potential of the waste were carried out to estimate the physicochemical and biodegradability characteristics of the waste. Results showed that putrescible/organic material constituted the largest component of the waste irrespective of the source. Its moisture content was expectedly high (> 50%). The organic fraction contains high levels of crude nutrients that can support microbial activities thus biodegradability. This was supported by the volatile solids profiles and the biochemical gas potential. Statistically, biodegradability of wastes from central business district was significantly (p<0.05) more degradable than from residential areas. This was attributable to the high organic carbon content.Item Population Status And Conservation Hotspots Of Prunus Africana (Hook. F.) Kalkman In South Nandi Forest, Western Kenya(Researchjournali’s Journal of Forestry, 2016-06-07) Koros, Hillary K.; Konje, Martha Muthoni; Wambua, Margaret M.; Chesire, Christopher K.; Odeny, Dickens; Malombe, Itambo B.Prunus africana is assessed as vulnerable globally by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. The conservation status is however general and under-illustrated. It lacks details on the actual threats that cause precarious spatial distribution of the population in certain localities such as South Nandi Forest, Western Kenya. This study assessed the population structure of P. africana by correlation of biometric variable including Diameter at Breast Height and height class distribution and regeneration with the diversity and frequency of threats in spatial context of the plant species. Stratified Random Sampling was used to establish three belt transects of 400 m by 2 km within the forest and 1 km buffer zone in farmlands. The measure of mean, spread, normal distribution and correlation of biometric variables of P. africana was analysed using PAST (Version 4.3). Population structure was summarised using histograms and bar charts. Frequency distribution table was used to analyse the number of incidence of the threats to P. africana at plot level. T-test was used to test for differences in P. africana parameters among transects. The spatial distribution model of P. africana in the forest and buffer zone was mapped using the maximum entropy suitability mapping method as implemented in MAXENT software (Version 3.3.3k) and QGIS Brighton (version 2.6). Prunus africana population was highly concentrated in North eastern part of the forest and surrounding farmlands with admirable number of mature individuals. The Diameter at Breast Height distribution of P. africana in the forest showed unstable and intermittent population structure unlike a stable population in the surrounding farmlands. Although the seeds germinated profusely, there was poor establishment and survival. Key conservation threats were overgrazing, firewood collection, logging and charcoal burning. The study recommends both in-situ and ex-situ conservation measures.Item Spatial-temporal variation of biomass production by shrubs in the succulent karoo, South Africa(Journal of Biodiversity and Environmental Sciences, 2021-04-30) Konje, Martha Muthoni; Muoria, Paul; Wabuyele, E.; Vetter, SusanneForage production in arid and semi-arid rangelands is not uniform but varies with seasons and in various landscapes. The aim of this study was to investigate the spatial and temporal variation in forage production in RNP. Plants sampling was carried out in 225 plots distributed in each of the five vegetation types. In each vegetation strata, sampling points was based on proximity to an occupied stock post, a rain gauge, a foothill and flat plains. A total of were measured in the 5 study sites. Line Intercept Method in combination with harvest method were used in ground measurement of biomass production. To assess biomass production using remote sensing technique, par values were obtained from Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) imageries which consisted of 8 days composite images at spatial resolution of 1km² pixel size. There was positive correlation between line intercepts and biomass production Biomass production was higher in succulent Karoo biome than in desert biome. There was a strong relationship between biomass production with rainfall and with fpar values. Since leaf and stem succulents’ plants were found to contribute the highest amount of forage production in RNP, they should be given conservation priority.Item Uses, Threats and Conservation of Plant Species in Kisere Catchment Area of Kakamega Forest, Kenya(International Journal of Science and Research, 2022-02-07) Bwambok, Eliud; Konje, Martha MuthoniTropical rainforests are under threat from human encouragement and anthropogenic activities in sub-Saharan Africa. Despite the importance of tropical rainforests, anthropogenic activities are changing vegetation dynamics of tropical rainforests such as Kakamega forest. The aim of the study was to determine the most exploited tree species in Kisere Forest by the local communities and their uses; to assess the impact of anthropogenic activities on plant species in Kisere Forest, to evaluate the contribution of Village Economic Enterprises on conservation of Kisere Forest. To determine the most targeted tree species by the local communities and their uses, semi-structured questionnaires were used and ethno-botanical survey was conducted. The Impact of Village Enterprise funded microenterprises on conservation of Kisere Forest was determined by comparing exploitation of the forest by funded households and unfunded households. This was done by assessing the time spent in the forest and the frequency of visiting forest to collect forest products and the collection of forest products for sale versus subsistence by the funded and unfunded households. Impacts of Village enterprise was also assessed by monitoring trends in forest disturbance. It was found out that most plant species were used for firewood, poles, charcoal burning and source o f medicine. Integrated conservation strategies aimed at providing people living around biodiversity hotspots with knowledge, skills and economic opportunities should be encouraged so that local communities can live sustainably with the forest ecosystems and protect local resources against future threats.Item The Role of Nyayo Tea Belt as A Buffer Zone in Sustainable Conservation of Kakamega Forest, Kenya(Iconic Research and Engineering Journals, 2025-01-07) Vuyiya, Esther; Konje, Martha MuthoniThis study investigated the effectiveness of the Nyayo Tea Zone (NTZ) as a buffer zone in the conservation and management of Kakamega forest, Kenya, and assessed the impact of human activities on forest health. The research employed a mixedmethods approach, combining questionnaires administered to 339 randomly selected households within 5km of the NTZ boundary, structured interviews with key stakeholders, and experimental vegetation sampling. Four study sites were selected: Handidi, Lukusi, and Isecheno (adjacent to NTZ) and a Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) site as control. Vegetation sampling used belt transects to assess tree species diversity, richness, canopy surface area, and seedling density. Results revealed that only 22.19% of the cleared forest land was utilized for tea plantation, while 59.02% was allocated to exotic forest species. All study sites adjacent to NTZ showed significantly lower species diversity, richness, canopy surface area, and seedling density compared to the KWS control site. Human activities (logging, grazing, debarking, and charcoal burning) demonstrated significant negative correlations with forest health indicators. Furthermore, 80% of respondents reported continued forest access despite the NTZ's presence, with only 2.5% recognizing its role as a conservation barrier. The study concludes that the NTZ buffer zone has not effectively achieved its conservation objectives, highlighting the need for more integrated approaches to forest protection and community engagement.Item Use of Remote Sensing (MODIS) Data and Rainfall to Estimate Forage Production in Arid Rangeland(Iconic Research and Engineering Journals, 2025-03-07) Konje, Martha MuthoniThis study investigated the use of remote sensing data from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) and rainfall data to estimate forage production in the arid rangelands of the Richtersveld National Park, South Africa. The research aimed to assess the spatial and temporal variability in forage production across five vegetation types and three landscape units, and to examine the relationships between the fraction of photosynthetically active radiation (fPAR), rainfall, and biomass production. Field measurements of above-ground biomass were collected during the peak growing season in 2007 and compared with corresponding MODIS fPAR data. The results revealed significant spatial heterogeneity in forage production, with higher biomass observed in the Central Richtersveld Mountain and Northern Richtersveld Scorpionstailveld vegetation types, and in the mountain landscape unit. Leaf and stem succulents contributed the most to the available forage, while grasses and forbs dominated in the desert vegetation types. A strong positive linear relationship was found between MODIS fPAR and field biomass measurements, indicating the potential of using remote sensing data as a reliable proxy for forage production. Rainfall emerged as a key driver of vegetation dynamics, with both fPAR and biomass showing strong positive correlations with precipitation. The study highlights the importance of understanding the spatial and temporal variability in forage resources for effective rangeland management and conservation planning in arid environments. The findings suggest that the integration of remote sensing data and rainfall records can provide valuable insights into the dynamics of arid rangelands and support the development of adaptive management strategies in the face of increasing climate variability and land use pressures.Item Adoption of Machine Learning Technologies in Mitigation of Climate Change Risks in North Rift, Kenya(International Journal of Applied Science and Engineering Review, 2025-07-07) Siunduh, Eric Sifuna; Ikoha, Peters Anselemo; Konje, Martha MuthoniThis study examines the implementation and effectiveness of Machine Learning (ML) technologies in addressing climate change risks within Kenya's North Rift region. The research investigates how ML applications are being utilized to enhance climate resilience, improve agricultural practices, and support decision-making processes in climate risk management. Through a mixed-methods approach combining quantitative data analysis and qualitative stakeholder interviews, this study evaluates the current state of ML adoption, identifies key challenges, and assesses the impact on local communities. Findings indicate that while ML adoption is still in its early stages, there is significant potential for these technologies to improve climate risk prediction, optimize resource allocation, and enhance adaptation strategies. The study reveals that successful implementation requires addressing infrastructure limitations, building local capacity, and ensuring community engagement. This research contributes to the growing body of knowledge on technological solutions for climate change adaptation in developing regions and provides practical recommendations for policymakers and practitioners.Item Modelling AI Technologies towards Prediction of Disasters Related to Climate Change: Case Study of North Rift, Kenya(International Journal of Applied Science and Engineering Review, 2025-08-07) Siunduh, Eric Sifuna; Ikoha, Peters Anselemo; Konje, Martha MuthoniThe study explores the application of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies for predicting climate change-induced disasters in Kenya's North Rift region. The North Rift, characterized by diverse topography including highlands, valleys, and arid plains, has experienced increasing frequency and severity of climate-related disasters such as floods, droughts, and landslides over the past decade. These events have significantly impacted agricultural productivity, water resources, infrastructure, and community livelihoods. The study employs machine learning algorithms, including random forests, convolutional neural networks, and long short-term memory (LSTM) networks, to analyze historical meteorological data, satellite imagery, and ground-based observations. This multi-modal approach enables the integration of traditional climate indicators with novel predictive features derived from remote sensing. The research leverages data from Kenya Meteorological Department stations, climate analysis products, and Earth observation satellites to develop regionally calibrated prediction models. Preliminary findings demonstrate that AI-based systems outperform conventional statistical methods in predicting the onset, intensity, and spatial distribution of climate disasters in the region. Notably, the LSTM models achieved 78% accuracy in forecasting drought conditions three months in advance, while CNN-based image analysis shows promising results in identifying flood-prone areas with 82% precision. The research addresses challenges related to data availability and quality through novel data fusion techniques and transfer learning approaches that adapt global climate models to local contexts. The study further examines the integration of AI predictions into existing early warning systems and disaster management frameworks. Stakeholder interviews with local government officials, community representatives, and disaster management agencies reveal both opportunities and barriers for effective implementation. Key recommendations include capacity building for local meteorological services, development of user friendly prediction interfaces, and community-based participatory approaches for validation and refinement of AI outputs. This research contributes to the growing field of climate AI and demonstrates the potential of machine learning in enhancing disaster preparedness and resilience in vulnerable regions. The findings provide a foundation for developing scalable AI-based early warning systems that can be adapted to similar ecological contexts across East AfricaItem Assessment of Mathematical Model for Predicting Climate Change Impact on Water Availability and Quality: A SWAT-SEIR Framework(Iconic Research and Engineering Journals, 2025-07-07) Nyongesa, Fatuma Nandaha; Mulambula, Andanje; Konje, Martha MuthoniThis paper critically reviews and assesses various mathematical and computational modeling techniques applied to analyze the impacts of climate change on water security. Emphasis is placed on integrating dynamic hydrological processes with contamination propagation under changing climatic conditions. The study employs a SWAT-SEIR-type model, analyzed by both analytical and numerical methods like the Fourth-Order Runge-Kutta (RK4) scheme, simulate water system dynamics and evaluate stability conditions, particularly focusing on the basic reproduction number R0 as an index of contamination spread. The analysis contributes to understanding the complex interplay between climate-induced stressors and water resources, providing a foundation for developing robust water security strategies in the face of climate change.Item Mathematical Model for Predicting Climate Change Impact on Water Availability and Quality: A SWATSEIR Framework(Iconic Research and Engineering Journals, 2025-07-07) Nyongesa, Fatuma Nandaha; Mulambula, Andanje; Konje, Martha MuthoniFlood-prone regions, such as Budalangi in the Lake Victoria Basin, frequently experience endemic contamination of their water resources due to recurrent flooding events. Consequently, effective water management strategies in such regions must address not only acute contamination during flood events but also the persistent, chronic nature of waterborne contamination driven by climatic variability and infrastructural challenges. The framework successfully demonstrated the capacity to simulate the dynamic behavior of water systems influenced by environmental stressors, making it suitable for comprehensive climate water interaction assessments. This paper presents an integrated mathematical model that captures the dynamics between climate change and water security and analyze the impact of climate change on water security in Budalangi.Item Development of an Integrated SWAT-SEIR Mathematical Model for Assessing Climate Change Impacts on Water Security: A Lake Victoria Basin Case Study(Iconic Research and Engineering Journals, 2025-07-07) Nyongesa, Fatuma Nandaha; Mulambula, Andanje; Konje, Martha MuthoniClimate change poses significant threats to water security globally, with the Lake Victoria Basin experiencing intensified droughts, floods, and water quality degradation. This study developed an integrated mathematical model combining the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) with a Susceptible-Exposed-Infectious-Recovered (SEIR) epidemiological framework to assess complex interactions between climate change and hydrological processes. The hybrid model captures both water quantity dynamics through SWAT's physically-based approach and water quality contamination dynamics through the SEIR compartmental structure. Model validation achieved excellent performance with Nash-Sutcliffe Efficiency of 0.85 for streamflow and satisfactory performance for water quality parameters (NSE =0.59-0.67). The basic reproduction number (R₀ =4.69) indicated endemic contamination conditions requiring active management intervention. Sensitivity analysis revealed environmental degradation factor (μ* = 0.342) and precipitation input (μ* = 0.298) as the most influential parameters. The integrated framework successfully represents threshold behaviors and system transitions critical for climate adaptation planning.Item Spatio-Temporal Variation In Forage Production In A Key Resource Area In Succulent Karoo Rangeland, South Africa(Researchjournali’s Journal of Ecology, 2021-03-07) Konje, Martha Muthoni; Muoria, Paul; Wabuyele, Emily; Vetter, SusanneFor herbivores to survive in arid rangelands, they largely depend on landscapes that act as grazing reserves during the dry seasons. In Richtersveld National Park, the dry season forage consists of browse from tree branches, litter and grass that grow along the Orange River. The aim of the study was to determine how browse production by tree species along the riparian zone (a key resource area), vary between the sites, with time and among the tree species, as well as the implication of a dry season key resource in management of rangelands. Sampling of tree species took place at three study sites along the riparian zone. In each site, temporal available standing biomass, browse and litter production by the seven dominant tree species were sampled. To calculate the total biomass production per tree canopy area, branch-count method was used up to a height of 1.5 m. Browse production differed between the tree species and between sampling periods but not between the sampling sites. Key resource area was found to play an important role in sustaining herbivores populations during the dry seasons as well as to reduce the negative effects associated with continuous grazing on the landscapes.Item Rainfall and Soils, Not Grazing Intensity, Determine the Composition and Productivity of Annual Plants in a Biodiverse Arid Winter Rainfall Region(Journal of Natural Sciences Research, 2021-05-07) Konje, Martha Muthoni; Muoria, Paul K.; Wabuyele, Emily; Griffin, Neil; Vetter, SusanneConcentration of grazer activity around watering points and stock posts has led to well-documented vegetation impacts in arid and semi-arid rangelands. Effect of grazing and abiotic factors on perennial plant diversity have been reported in the bio-diverse winter rainfall vegetation of the Succulent Karoo in South Africa, but the impact on annuals had not been investigated. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of rainfall, soil nutrients, land forms and grazing on forage depletion, soil chemistry and the composition, diversity, richness and biomass production of annual plants in the Richtersveld National park, which is a contractual national park used by seminomadic pastoralists to herd goats and sheep. A grazing gradient away from stock posts at 100m, 500m and 1000m on sandy plains and rocky foothills at five study sites with different mean annual rainfall and vegetation types were used. Distance from stock posts corresponded to a gradient of forage depletion and resulted in changes in soil chemistry with distance. Biomass production, richness and diversity of annuals were correlated with rainfall but not significantly affected by landform or distance from stock posts. Rainfall and soil variables had a greater influence on species composition than grazing in this arid ecosystem. The decrease in perennial cover and richness near the stock posts was not accompanied by increase in biomass production or richness of annuals, which is expected to have adverse effects on overall plant diversity and forage availability.