Assessment of Decay Coefficients of Allochthonous Litter for Sustainable Riparian Forage Agriculture and Environmental Monitoring: A Study in River Nyangores, Kenya

• DOI: 10.2174/1874282301610010014
• Publication Date: 2016-09-02T04:29:44Z
• Authors: J. Ochieng; C.E. Kitur; P.T. Obade
• Keywords: Chloris gayana; Pennisetum purpureum; Detritus; Litter

Research on decay profiles of grass detritus in lotic systems has received little attention preceding years. An investigation was conducted in-situ processing coefficients for three dominant forage species grown by farmers along the banks River Nyangores 2013. The objectives study were; (i) to determine Pennisetum purpureum , Panicum coloratum and Chloris gayana (ii) estimate detrital total phosphorus trends during incubation. It hypothesized that no significant differences existed among rates species. A 186 leaf packs were deployed at upstream downstream sections separated Bomet urban settlement ten weeks, with a two-week withdrawal interval. Temperature normalized estimated using an aquatic model. Total analyzed molybdate-calorimetric procedure ultraviolet spectrophotometry. Data XLSTAT-2014 computer program. ranged from 6.70795 x 10 -4 dd -1 9.12355 . Covariance analysis ( p <0.05) indicated species, higher recorded than all grasses. Litter showed positive Pearson correlation though not >0.05). During incubation, build-up lower 6.4% 13.8%. Highest rate hence it appears be most agro-ecologically sustainable as riparian Nyangores. seemingly contributes shifts ecological functioning river.