Modi Ahmed

Rehabilitation Soils with Date Palm Mulching Treatments

Kuwait is located in hyper arid desert environment. This geographical location and irrational human activities accelerate the expansion of land degradation problem. In order to rehabilitate the degraded areas it is necessary to use soil and water resources in sustainable manner. Owing to these reasons it is essential to use appropriate methods based on the scientific diagnostics of the problem. It is compulsory to identify, specify and test different efficient, cost-effective and environment friendly sound sustainable sand control measures such as, semi-circular bunds, square micro catchment and checker board palm leaves to rehabilitate degraded lands in Liyah refilled quarries. To evaluate the impact of rehabilitation method through mulching with date palm leaves soil samples were collected (control and rehabilitation sites with square micro catchment) prior to the implementation plan and post completion of the project (three years). In this study will be highlighted on detail the results of using square micro catchment and with short brief descriptions on other water harvesting techniques. The results showed an improvement of physical soil properties after the application of these techniques. Soil fertility increased through increasing the quantity of fine and very fine sand. The soil moisture at the surface soil increased from 0.085% to 1.62% after the treatment. The untreated soil has high bulk density about 2 g/cm and low porosity about 27%. However, after the soil was ploughed and mulched the bulk density decreased to 0.03 g/cm. And porosity improved 98%. This study conserved the irrigation water through reducing the proportion of soil evaporation, in addition to the creation of optimum condition for plant growth. The aim of this study was to analyze the effect of using organic mulch date palm leaves with water harvesting techniques on the physical and biological properties of degraded soil in Liyah area.

Restoration and Conservation of Deteriorated Arid Land by a Native Thorny Shrub Lycium shawii

Land degradation is of great concern in the desert environment of Kuwait, as it has a negative impact on the natural resources. In response to this situation, Kuwait conserves their natural environment by setting aside areas of significant natural ecosystem, such as wild life center at the Liyah area. The area suffered during the past four decades from severe environmental pressures due to the excessive exploitation of natural resources of sand and gravel as well as overgrazing and military activities. Re-vegetation and restoration programs were applied in the degraded areas in Liyah in December 2003. A large variety of native plants were used for the restoration, however, in this research, only one native perennial drought resistant plant Lycium shawii (Awsaj) was highlighted. Tissue cultured thorny shrub planted at experimental site showed high adaptation on gravel hill side with harsh field condition. Their survival rate was 100% under drip irrigation only 10% was the mortality rate due to improper fixation of irrigation system. The average length of the main stem and the number of branches gradually increased by year from 42 cm with three branches in 2011 to 170 cm with seven branches in 2014. Since Lycium shrubs have the ability to grow in severely degraded areas, with extreme condition of prolonged drought, high temperature and poor nutrient soil as well as their ability to form nabkha, it is considered to be most suitable shrub used for rehabilitation program at Liyah area.