Impact of cultivation on soil and species composition of the Monavale Vlei, Harare

Abstract

The study assessed the impact of cultivation on soil properties, species richness (grass and herbaceous) and species composition on the Monavale vlei. The results revealed that cultivation had an impact on nitrogen levels, organic carbon, moisture content, silt content and clay content of the soil (P<0.05). Bulk density, sand levels, pH, phosphorous and species richness did not differ significantly between the sites (P>0.05). Cultivation however had an impact on the community structure and species composition of the cultivated and uncultivated sites. Cultivated sites were dominated by weedy species. Biodiversity measures on the vlei indicated that avian species were the most diverse followed by plants and lastly insects.