The Effects of Harvesting Papyrus (Cyperus papyrus) Above-Ground Biomass on Productivity, Density, and Recruitment in Saf-Wetland of Siaya County, Kenya

Abstract

Papyrus is a dominant vegetation in floodplain and littoral wetlands of Lake
Victoria. Whereas they are mostly harvested by riparian communities to
support livelihoods, the unsustainable removal of papyrus biomass may
have detrimental impacts on its growth aspects compromising the structure
and functions of the papyrus wetlands. The aim of the study was to assess
the effect of papyrus above-ground biomass harvesting on productivity,
density, and recruitment of papyrus in such wetlands. Destructive and non
destructive methods were used to measure the biomass in the disturbed and
control plots respectively. All statistical analysis was done using SPSS
Statistical Software version 20. Data was subjected to normality and
homogeneity of variance test after which statistical tests were carried out at
p<0.05 significance level. Welch ANOVA was used to assess spatial
differences among the sites. There was significant spatial variation in
density in harvested plots among the experimental sites (Welch Anova: F2,
20 = 26.165, P < 0.001). Also, there was significant spatial variation in
biomass of papyrus in harvested and control plots respectively (Welch
Anova: F2, 16 = 7.115, P = 0.006; Welch Anova: F2, 17 = 6.041, P = 0.010).
Lastly, there was no significant spatial variation in recruitment among the
sites.