Your article is protected by copyright and all rights are held exclusively by Springer Nature Swi... more Your article is protected by copyright and all rights are held exclusively by Springer Nature Switzerland AG. This e-offprint is for personal use only and shall not be selfarchived in electronic repositories. If you wish to self-archive your article, please use the accepted manuscript version for posting on your own website. You may further deposit the accepted manuscript version in any repository, provided it is only made publicly available 12 months after official publication or later and provided acknowledgement is given to the original source of publication and a link is inserted to the published article on Springer's website. The link must be accompanied by the following text: "The final publication is available at link.springer.com".
Understanding of stream resilience to anthropogenic pressure is vital for sound implementation of... more Understanding of stream resilience to anthropogenic pressure is vital for sound implementation of conservation efforts, as resilient streams quickly recover from disturbance. However, evidence on the extent of stream recovery is minimal in Ethiopia. This study assesses the temporal responses of macroinvertebrate assemblages to hydrological disturbance of headwater streams in Dinki watershed, in the central highlands of Ethiopia. A total of 86 composite samples were collected along the longitudinal gradient of Dinki stream. A repeated measure analysis of variance (rmANOVA) was computed to explore changes in environmental and macroinvertebrate assemblages between autumn (2016), winter, spring, and summer (2017). The mean differences in the pre-and post-disturbance events (low and high-flows) were computed using the paired t-test. Likewise, a Redundancy Analysis (RDA) was used to visualize patterns in macroinvertebrate distribution and their relationship with environmental variables. Furthermore, indicator taxa were identified using the indicator value (IndVal) method. On top of that, the Jaccard's index was calculated to examine similarities between pre-and post-disturbance events as well as resilience score was computed to quantify the rate of recovery to spate disturbance. The maximum and minimum mean values of macroinvertebrate structures (abundance, richness, diversity, and evenness) were recorded during the pre-and post-disturbance events, respectively. The IndVal of assemblages were highly variable between seasons, indicating variations in ecological preferences. The small Jaccard's index values (low-flow: 0.48; spate:0.35) revealed the severity of the hydrological disturbances. Despite its slow rate (37% recovery within 20 days), a tendency of recovery was evident, particularly due to the presence of stable refuges and assemblages with resistance and resilience traits. Therefore, promoting stream conservation is plausible to ensure habitat heterogeneity, lessen the effects of hydrological disturbances and to enhance resilience.
Health Organisation (WHO) reported it as the second leading cause of children's death worldwide. ... more Health Organisation (WHO) reported it as the second leading cause of children's death worldwide. Nearly 1.7 billion cases occur annually with varied temporal and spatial factors. Identification of the spatiotemporal pattern and hotspot areas of U5-children diarrhea can assist targeted intervention and provide an early warning for more effective response measures. This study aimed at examining spatiotemporal variability along with the detection of hotspot areas for U5-children diarrhea in the Bench Maji Zone of southwestern ethiopia, where resources are limited and cultural heterogeneity is highest. Retrospective longitudinal data of ten years of diarrhea records from January 2008 to December 2017 were used to identify hotspot areas. The incidence rate per 1,000 per year among children was calculated along with seasonal patterns of cases. The spatiotemporal analysis was made using SaTScan version 9.4, while spatial autocorrelations and hotspot identification were generated using ArcGIS 10.5 software. A total of 90,716 U5-children diarrhea cases were reported with an annual incidence rate of 36.1 per 1,000 U5-children, indicating a relative risk (RR) of 1.6 and a log-likelihood ratio (LLR) of 1,347.32 (p < 0.001). The highest incidence of diarrhea illness was recorded during the dry season and showed incidence rate increment from October to February. The risky clusters (RR > 1) were in the districts of Bero, Maji, Surma, Minit Shasha, Guraferda, Mizan Aman Town, and Sheko with annual cases of 127.93, 68.5, 65.12, 55.03, 55.67, 54.14 and 44.97 per 1,000, respectively. The lowest annual cases reported were in the four districts of Shay Bench, South Bench, north Bench, and Minit Goldiya, where RR was less than a unit. Six most likely clusters (Bero, Minit Shasha, Surma, Guraferda, South Bench, and Maji) and one lower RR area (North Bench) were hotspot districts. The U5-children's diarrhea in the study area showed an overall increasing trend during the dry seasons with non-random distribution over space and time. The data recorded during ten years and analyzed with the proper statistical tools helped to identify the hotspot areas with risky seasons where diarrhea could increase.
The endeavor to tackle the spread of COVID-19 effectively remains futile without the right grasp ... more The endeavor to tackle the spread of COVID-19 effectively remains futile without the right grasp of perceptions and beliefs presiding in the community. Therefore, this study aimed to assess myths, beliefs, perceptions, and information gaps about COVID-19 in Ethiopia.
Understanding of stream resilience to anthropogenic pressure is vital for sound implementation of... more Understanding of stream resilience to anthropogenic pressure is vital for sound implementation of conservation efforts, as resilient streams quickly recover from disturbance. However, evidence on the extent of stream recovery is minimal in Ethiopia. This study assesses the temporal responses of macroinvertebrate assemblages to hydrological disturbance of headwater streams in Dinki watershed, in the central highlands of Ethiopia. A total of 86 composite samples were collected along the longitudinal gradient of Dinki stream. A repeated measure analysis of variance (rmANOVA) was computed to explore changes in environmental and macroinvertebrate assemblages between autumn (2016), winter, spring, and summer (2017). The mean differences in the pre-and post-disturbance events (low and high-flows) were computed using the paired t-test. Likewise, a Redundancy Analysis (RDA) was used to visualize patterns in macroinvertebrate distribution and their relationship with environmental variables. Furthermore, indicator taxa were identified using the indicator value (IndVal) method. On top of that, the Jaccard's index was calculated to examine similarities between pre-and post-disturbance events as well as resilience score was computed to quantify the rate of recovery to spate disturbance. The maximum and minimum mean values of macroinvertebrate structures (abundance, richness, diversity, and evenness) were recorded during the pre-and post-disturbance events, respectively. The IndVal of assemblages were highly variable between seasons, indicating variations in ecological preferences. The small Jaccard's index values (low-flow: 0.48; spate:0.35) revealed the severity of the hydrological disturbances. Despite its slow rate (37% recovery within 20 days), a tendency of recovery was evident, particularly due to the presence of stable refuges and assemblages with resistance and resilience traits. Therefore, promoting stream conservation is plausible to ensure habitat heterogeneity, lessen the effects of hydrological disturbances and to enhance resilience.
The present study investigates the impacts of industrial effluents on the macroinvertebrate assem... more The present study investigates the impacts of industrial effluents on the macroinvertebrate assemblages and water quality of the Lake Hawassa watershed. The water quality and macroinvertebrate assemblages were assessed at 40 sampling sites. The chemical and ecological water quality was evaluated using the Basic Prati index and the Ethiopian Biological Score Index (ETHbios), respectively. Canonical Correspondence Analysis (CCA) was used to evaluate the relationship between abiotic factors and macroinvertebrate metrics. A total of 5 876 invertebrates belonging to twentyfive families were recorded. The Coleoptera was the most dominant order represented by four families with a relative abundance of 68%. According to the ETHbios scoring system the sites receiving industrial effluent had very poor water quality (ETHbios score <12), whereas the upstream sites had moderate to good water quality (ETHbios 53 to 76). Likewise, the Basic Prati Index of the sites receiving industrial effluent was considered as very heavily polluted (Index score >8). Overall, the industrial effluents had a significant negative impact on water quality and macroinvertebrate diversity. Therefore, proper management of industrial effluent is urgently needed to prevent further deterioration of water quality and loss of biodiversity in the Lake Hawassa and Shallo Wetland ecosystems.
This study was designed to explore the role of local knowledge (LK) in enhancing the resilience o... more This study was designed to explore the role of local knowledge (LK) in enhancing the resilience of Dinki watershed in the central highlands of Ethiopia. The data were collected through focus group discussions, key informant interviews, and household surveys. The qualitative data were analyzed through thematic analysis. Whereas descriptive statistics and logistic regression were used for quantitative data analyses. The result showed that the majority of the respondents have local knowledge and used in their daily activities. Furthermore, the LK is reported to have the adaptive capacity in managing land resource degradation, treating disease, mitigating food insecurity, and enhancing social capital, among others. Likewise, the logistic regression analysis showed that age, gender, and education status of the household head were significantly correlated (p<0.05) to knowledge level, indicating their predictive power for the acquisition of LK. Accordingly, old-aged (60+ years) male respondents who attended primary education were higher to acquire LK than their counterparts. The result realized that the adaptive roles (land resource management, medication, climate change adaptation, etc.) of local knowledge systems could contribute to enhancing resilience. More importantly, the presence of social mechanisms is insurance to maintain LK. Thus, both intergenerational and intragenerational information gaps are filled with education and promotion on the roles of local knowledge systems. Besides, local-decision options should participate in custodians to share their experiences, that could contribute to sustaining ecosystem resilience.
This study assessed households' resilience to climate change-induced shocks in Dinki watershed, n... more This study assessed households' resilience to climate change-induced shocks in Dinki watershed, northcentral highlands of Ethiopia. The data were collected through a cross-sectional survey conducted on 288 households, three focus group discussions, and 15 key informant interviews. The Climate Resilience Index (CRI) based on the three resilience capacities (absorptive, adaptive and transformative) frame was used to measure households' resilience to climate change-induced shocks on an agro-ecological unit of analysis. A principal component analysis (PCA) and multiple regression analysis were used to identify determinant factors and indicators to households' resilience, respectively. Findings indicate that the indexed scores of major components clearly differentiated the study communities in terms of their agro-ecological zones. Specifically, the absorptive capacity (0.495) was the leading contributing factor to resilience followed by adaptive (0.449) and transformative (0.387) capacities. Likewise, the Midland was relatively more resilient with a mean index value of 0.461. Both the PCA and multiple regression analysis indicated that access to and use of livelihood resources, such as farmlands and livestock holdings, diversity of income sources, infrastructure and social capital were determinants of households' resilience. In general, it might be due to their exposure to recurrent shocks coupled with limited adaptive capacities including underdeveloped public services, poor livelihood diversification practices, among others, the study communities showed minimal resilience capacity with a mean score of 0.44. Thus, in addition to short-term buffering strategies, intervention priority focusing on both adaptive and transformative capacities, particularly focusing on most vulnerable localities and constrained livelihood strategies, would contribute to ensuring longterm resilience in the study communities.
This study was designed to explore the role of local knowledge (LK) in enhancing the resilience o... more This study was designed to explore the role of local knowledge (LK) in enhancing the resilience of Dinki watershed in the central highlands of Ethiopia. The data were collected through focus group discussions, key informant interviews, and household surveys. The qualitative data were analyzed through thematic analysis. Whereas descriptive statistics and logistic regression were used for quantitative data analyses. The result showed that the majority of the respondents have local knowledge and used in their daily activities. Furthermore, the LK is reported to have the adaptive capacity in managing land resource degradation, treating disease, mitigating food insecurity, and enhancing social capital, among others. Likewise, the logistic regression analysis showed that age, gender, and education status of the household head were significantly correlated (p<0.05) to knowledge level, indicating their predictive power for the acquisition of LK. Accordingly, old-aged (60+ years) male respondents who attended primary education were higher to acquire LK than their counterparts. The result realized that the adaptive roles (land resource management, medication, climate change adaptation, etc.) of local knowledge systems could contribute to enhancing resilience. More importantly, the presence of social mechanisms is insurance to maintain LK. Thus, both intergenerational and intragenerational information gaps are filled with education and promotion on the roles of local knowledge systems. Besides, local-decision options should participate in custodians to share their experiences, that could contribute to sustaining ecosystem resilience.
Health Organisation (WHO) reported it as the second leading cause of children's death worldwide. ... more Health Organisation (WHO) reported it as the second leading cause of children's death worldwide. Nearly 1.7 billion cases occur annually with varied temporal and spatial factors. Identification of the spatiotemporal pattern and hotspot areas of U5-children diarrhea can assist targeted intervention and provide an early warning for more effective response measures. This study aimed at examining spatiotemporal variability along with the detection of hotspot areas for U5-children diarrhea in the Bench Maji Zone of southwestern ethiopia, where resources are limited and cultural heterogeneity is highest. Retrospective longitudinal data of ten years of diarrhea records from January 2008 to December 2017 were used to identify hotspot areas. The incidence rate per 1,000 per year among children was calculated along with seasonal patterns of cases. The spatiotemporal analysis was made using SaTScan version 9.4, while spatial autocorrelations and hotspot identification were generated using ArcGIS 10.5 software. A total of 90,716 U5-children diarrhea cases were reported with an annual incidence rate of 36.1 per 1,000 U5-children, indicating a relative risk (RR) of 1.6 and a log-likelihood ratio (LLR) of 1,347.32 (p < 0.001). The highest incidence of diarrhea illness was recorded during the dry season and showed incidence rate increment from October to February. The risky clusters (RR > 1) were in the districts of Bero, Maji, Surma, Minit Shasha, Guraferda, Mizan Aman Town, and Sheko with annual cases of 127.93, 68.5, 65.12, 55.03, 55.67, 54.14 and 44.97 per 1,000, respectively. The lowest annual cases reported were in the four districts of Shay Bench, South Bench, north Bench, and Minit Goldiya, where RR was less than a unit. Six most likely clusters (Bero, Minit Shasha, Surma, Guraferda, South Bench, and Maji) and one lower RR area (North Bench) were hotspot districts. The U5-children's diarrhea in the study area showed an overall increasing trend during the dry seasons with non-random distribution over space and time. The data recorded during ten years and analyzed with the proper statistical tools helped to identify the hotspot areas with risky seasons where diarrhea could increase.
Understanding of stream resilience to anthropogenic pressure is vital for sound implementation of... more Understanding of stream resilience to anthropogenic pressure is vital for sound implementation of conservation efforts, as resilient streams quickly recover from disturbance. However, evidence on the extent of stream recovery is minimal in Ethiopia. This study assesses the temporal responses of macroinvertebrate assemblages to hydrological disturbance of headwater streams in Dinki watershed, in the central highlands of Ethiopia. A total of 86 composite samples were collected along the longitudinal gradient of Dinki stream. A repeated measure analysis of variance (rmANOVA) was computed to explore changes in environmental and macroinvertebrate assemblages between autumn (2016), winter, spring, and summer (2017). The mean differences in the pre-and post-disturbance events (low and high-flows) were computed using the paired t-test. Likewise, a Redundancy Analysis (RDA) was used to visualize patterns in macroinvertebrate distribution and their relationship with environmental variables. Furthermore, indicator taxa were identified using the indicator value (IndVal) method. On top of that, the Jaccard's index was calculated to examine similarities between pre-and post-disturbance events as well as resilience score was computed to quantify the rate of recovery to spate disturbance. The maximum and minimum mean values of macroinvertebrate structures (abundance, richness, diversity, and evenness) were recorded during the pre-and post-disturbance events, respectively. The IndVal of assemblages were highly variable between seasons, indicating variations in ecological preferences. The small Jaccard's index values (lowflow: 0.48; spate:0.35) revealed the severity of the hydrological disturbances. Despite its slow rate (37% recovery within 20 days), a tendency of recovery was evident, particularly due to the presence of stable refuges and assemblages with resistance and resilience traits. Therefore, promoting stream conservation is plausible to ensure habitat heterogeneity, lessen the effects of hydrological disturbances and to enhance resilience.
This study assesses the multidimensional livelihood vulnerability of smallholder farmers to clima... more This study assesses the multidimensional livelihood vulnerability of smallholder farmers to climate change-induced shocks in Dinki watershed, northcentral highlands of Ethiopia. The data were collected through a cross-sectional survey conducted on 288 households, six focus group discussions, and 15 key informant interviews, complemented with 30 years of rainfall and temperature data obtained from the National Metrological Agency. The Livelihood Vulnerability Index (LVI) framed within the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and vulnerability (LVI-IPCC) approach was used to measure households' livelihood vulnerability on the agro-ecology unit of analysis. In each agro-ecology, the LVI and LVI-IPCC were calculated as well as one-way analysis of variance was used to test differences between agro-ecological zones. The findings indicate that the vulnerability dimensions and major components varied between agro-ecological zones (p < 0.001). The result also reveals that increased sensitivity to water and health facilities, recurrent exposure to climate change-induced shocks, poor technology utilization, and limited livelihood diversification practices are principal factors contributing to mounted sensitivity, exposure, and overall livelihood vulnerability of the lowland agroecology. The finding suggests that designing resilience-building adaptation strategies based on the agro-ecology unit of analysis is sound to reduce the vulnerability of smallholder farmers to climate change-induced shocks.
Your article is protected by copyright and all rights are held exclusively by Springer Nature Swi... more Your article is protected by copyright and all rights are held exclusively by Springer Nature Switzerland AG. This e-offprint is for personal use only and shall not be selfarchived in electronic repositories. If you wish to self-archive your article, please use the accepted manuscript version for posting on your own website. You may further deposit the accepted manuscript version in any repository, provided it is only made publicly available 12 months after official publication or later and provided acknowledgement is given to the original source of publication and a link is inserted to the published article on Springer's website. The link must be accompanied by the following text: "The final publication is available at link.springer.com".
Understanding of stream resilience to anthropogenic pressure is vital for sound implementation of... more Understanding of stream resilience to anthropogenic pressure is vital for sound implementation of conservation efforts, as resilient streams quickly recover from disturbance. However, evidence on the extent of stream recovery is minimal in Ethiopia. This study assesses the temporal responses of macroinvertebrate assemblages to hydrological disturbance of headwater streams in Dinki watershed, in the central highlands of Ethiopia. A total of 86 composite samples were collected along the longitudinal gradient of Dinki stream. A repeated measure analysis of variance (rmANOVA) was computed to explore changes in environmental and macroinvertebrate assemblages between autumn (2016), winter, spring, and summer (2017). The mean differences in the pre-and post-disturbance events (low and high-flows) were computed using the paired t-test. Likewise, a Redundancy Analysis (RDA) was used to visualize patterns in macroinvertebrate distribution and their relationship with environmental variables. Furthermore, indicator taxa were identified using the indicator value (IndVal) method. On top of that, the Jaccard's index was calculated to examine similarities between pre-and post-disturbance events as well as resilience score was computed to quantify the rate of recovery to spate disturbance. The maximum and minimum mean values of macroinvertebrate structures (abundance, richness, diversity, and evenness) were recorded during the pre-and post-disturbance events, respectively. The IndVal of assemblages were highly variable between seasons, indicating variations in ecological preferences. The small Jaccard's index values (low-flow: 0.48; spate:0.35) revealed the severity of the hydrological disturbances. Despite its slow rate (37% recovery within 20 days), a tendency of recovery was evident, particularly due to the presence of stable refuges and assemblages with resistance and resilience traits. Therefore, promoting stream conservation is plausible to ensure habitat heterogeneity, lessen the effects of hydrological disturbances and to enhance resilience.
Health Organisation (WHO) reported it as the second leading cause of children's death worldwide. ... more Health Organisation (WHO) reported it as the second leading cause of children's death worldwide. Nearly 1.7 billion cases occur annually with varied temporal and spatial factors. Identification of the spatiotemporal pattern and hotspot areas of U5-children diarrhea can assist targeted intervention and provide an early warning for more effective response measures. This study aimed at examining spatiotemporal variability along with the detection of hotspot areas for U5-children diarrhea in the Bench Maji Zone of southwestern ethiopia, where resources are limited and cultural heterogeneity is highest. Retrospective longitudinal data of ten years of diarrhea records from January 2008 to December 2017 were used to identify hotspot areas. The incidence rate per 1,000 per year among children was calculated along with seasonal patterns of cases. The spatiotemporal analysis was made using SaTScan version 9.4, while spatial autocorrelations and hotspot identification were generated using ArcGIS 10.5 software. A total of 90,716 U5-children diarrhea cases were reported with an annual incidence rate of 36.1 per 1,000 U5-children, indicating a relative risk (RR) of 1.6 and a log-likelihood ratio (LLR) of 1,347.32 (p < 0.001). The highest incidence of diarrhea illness was recorded during the dry season and showed incidence rate increment from October to February. The risky clusters (RR > 1) were in the districts of Bero, Maji, Surma, Minit Shasha, Guraferda, Mizan Aman Town, and Sheko with annual cases of 127.93, 68.5, 65.12, 55.03, 55.67, 54.14 and 44.97 per 1,000, respectively. The lowest annual cases reported were in the four districts of Shay Bench, South Bench, north Bench, and Minit Goldiya, where RR was less than a unit. Six most likely clusters (Bero, Minit Shasha, Surma, Guraferda, South Bench, and Maji) and one lower RR area (North Bench) were hotspot districts. The U5-children's diarrhea in the study area showed an overall increasing trend during the dry seasons with non-random distribution over space and time. The data recorded during ten years and analyzed with the proper statistical tools helped to identify the hotspot areas with risky seasons where diarrhea could increase.
The endeavor to tackle the spread of COVID-19 effectively remains futile without the right grasp ... more The endeavor to tackle the spread of COVID-19 effectively remains futile without the right grasp of perceptions and beliefs presiding in the community. Therefore, this study aimed to assess myths, beliefs, perceptions, and information gaps about COVID-19 in Ethiopia.
Understanding of stream resilience to anthropogenic pressure is vital for sound implementation of... more Understanding of stream resilience to anthropogenic pressure is vital for sound implementation of conservation efforts, as resilient streams quickly recover from disturbance. However, evidence on the extent of stream recovery is minimal in Ethiopia. This study assesses the temporal responses of macroinvertebrate assemblages to hydrological disturbance of headwater streams in Dinki watershed, in the central highlands of Ethiopia. A total of 86 composite samples were collected along the longitudinal gradient of Dinki stream. A repeated measure analysis of variance (rmANOVA) was computed to explore changes in environmental and macroinvertebrate assemblages between autumn (2016), winter, spring, and summer (2017). The mean differences in the pre-and post-disturbance events (low and high-flows) were computed using the paired t-test. Likewise, a Redundancy Analysis (RDA) was used to visualize patterns in macroinvertebrate distribution and their relationship with environmental variables. Furthermore, indicator taxa were identified using the indicator value (IndVal) method. On top of that, the Jaccard's index was calculated to examine similarities between pre-and post-disturbance events as well as resilience score was computed to quantify the rate of recovery to spate disturbance. The maximum and minimum mean values of macroinvertebrate structures (abundance, richness, diversity, and evenness) were recorded during the pre-and post-disturbance events, respectively. The IndVal of assemblages were highly variable between seasons, indicating variations in ecological preferences. The small Jaccard's index values (low-flow: 0.48; spate:0.35) revealed the severity of the hydrological disturbances. Despite its slow rate (37% recovery within 20 days), a tendency of recovery was evident, particularly due to the presence of stable refuges and assemblages with resistance and resilience traits. Therefore, promoting stream conservation is plausible to ensure habitat heterogeneity, lessen the effects of hydrological disturbances and to enhance resilience.
The present study investigates the impacts of industrial effluents on the macroinvertebrate assem... more The present study investigates the impacts of industrial effluents on the macroinvertebrate assemblages and water quality of the Lake Hawassa watershed. The water quality and macroinvertebrate assemblages were assessed at 40 sampling sites. The chemical and ecological water quality was evaluated using the Basic Prati index and the Ethiopian Biological Score Index (ETHbios), respectively. Canonical Correspondence Analysis (CCA) was used to evaluate the relationship between abiotic factors and macroinvertebrate metrics. A total of 5 876 invertebrates belonging to twentyfive families were recorded. The Coleoptera was the most dominant order represented by four families with a relative abundance of 68%. According to the ETHbios scoring system the sites receiving industrial effluent had very poor water quality (ETHbios score <12), whereas the upstream sites had moderate to good water quality (ETHbios 53 to 76). Likewise, the Basic Prati Index of the sites receiving industrial effluent was considered as very heavily polluted (Index score >8). Overall, the industrial effluents had a significant negative impact on water quality and macroinvertebrate diversity. Therefore, proper management of industrial effluent is urgently needed to prevent further deterioration of water quality and loss of biodiversity in the Lake Hawassa and Shallo Wetland ecosystems.
This study was designed to explore the role of local knowledge (LK) in enhancing the resilience o... more This study was designed to explore the role of local knowledge (LK) in enhancing the resilience of Dinki watershed in the central highlands of Ethiopia. The data were collected through focus group discussions, key informant interviews, and household surveys. The qualitative data were analyzed through thematic analysis. Whereas descriptive statistics and logistic regression were used for quantitative data analyses. The result showed that the majority of the respondents have local knowledge and used in their daily activities. Furthermore, the LK is reported to have the adaptive capacity in managing land resource degradation, treating disease, mitigating food insecurity, and enhancing social capital, among others. Likewise, the logistic regression analysis showed that age, gender, and education status of the household head were significantly correlated (p<0.05) to knowledge level, indicating their predictive power for the acquisition of LK. Accordingly, old-aged (60+ years) male respondents who attended primary education were higher to acquire LK than their counterparts. The result realized that the adaptive roles (land resource management, medication, climate change adaptation, etc.) of local knowledge systems could contribute to enhancing resilience. More importantly, the presence of social mechanisms is insurance to maintain LK. Thus, both intergenerational and intragenerational information gaps are filled with education and promotion on the roles of local knowledge systems. Besides, local-decision options should participate in custodians to share their experiences, that could contribute to sustaining ecosystem resilience.
This study assessed households' resilience to climate change-induced shocks in Dinki watershed, n... more This study assessed households' resilience to climate change-induced shocks in Dinki watershed, northcentral highlands of Ethiopia. The data were collected through a cross-sectional survey conducted on 288 households, three focus group discussions, and 15 key informant interviews. The Climate Resilience Index (CRI) based on the three resilience capacities (absorptive, adaptive and transformative) frame was used to measure households' resilience to climate change-induced shocks on an agro-ecological unit of analysis. A principal component analysis (PCA) and multiple regression analysis were used to identify determinant factors and indicators to households' resilience, respectively. Findings indicate that the indexed scores of major components clearly differentiated the study communities in terms of their agro-ecological zones. Specifically, the absorptive capacity (0.495) was the leading contributing factor to resilience followed by adaptive (0.449) and transformative (0.387) capacities. Likewise, the Midland was relatively more resilient with a mean index value of 0.461. Both the PCA and multiple regression analysis indicated that access to and use of livelihood resources, such as farmlands and livestock holdings, diversity of income sources, infrastructure and social capital were determinants of households' resilience. In general, it might be due to their exposure to recurrent shocks coupled with limited adaptive capacities including underdeveloped public services, poor livelihood diversification practices, among others, the study communities showed minimal resilience capacity with a mean score of 0.44. Thus, in addition to short-term buffering strategies, intervention priority focusing on both adaptive and transformative capacities, particularly focusing on most vulnerable localities and constrained livelihood strategies, would contribute to ensuring longterm resilience in the study communities.
This study was designed to explore the role of local knowledge (LK) in enhancing the resilience o... more This study was designed to explore the role of local knowledge (LK) in enhancing the resilience of Dinki watershed in the central highlands of Ethiopia. The data were collected through focus group discussions, key informant interviews, and household surveys. The qualitative data were analyzed through thematic analysis. Whereas descriptive statistics and logistic regression were used for quantitative data analyses. The result showed that the majority of the respondents have local knowledge and used in their daily activities. Furthermore, the LK is reported to have the adaptive capacity in managing land resource degradation, treating disease, mitigating food insecurity, and enhancing social capital, among others. Likewise, the logistic regression analysis showed that age, gender, and education status of the household head were significantly correlated (p<0.05) to knowledge level, indicating their predictive power for the acquisition of LK. Accordingly, old-aged (60+ years) male respondents who attended primary education were higher to acquire LK than their counterparts. The result realized that the adaptive roles (land resource management, medication, climate change adaptation, etc.) of local knowledge systems could contribute to enhancing resilience. More importantly, the presence of social mechanisms is insurance to maintain LK. Thus, both intergenerational and intragenerational information gaps are filled with education and promotion on the roles of local knowledge systems. Besides, local-decision options should participate in custodians to share their experiences, that could contribute to sustaining ecosystem resilience.
Health Organisation (WHO) reported it as the second leading cause of children's death worldwide. ... more Health Organisation (WHO) reported it as the second leading cause of children's death worldwide. Nearly 1.7 billion cases occur annually with varied temporal and spatial factors. Identification of the spatiotemporal pattern and hotspot areas of U5-children diarrhea can assist targeted intervention and provide an early warning for more effective response measures. This study aimed at examining spatiotemporal variability along with the detection of hotspot areas for U5-children diarrhea in the Bench Maji Zone of southwestern ethiopia, where resources are limited and cultural heterogeneity is highest. Retrospective longitudinal data of ten years of diarrhea records from January 2008 to December 2017 were used to identify hotspot areas. The incidence rate per 1,000 per year among children was calculated along with seasonal patterns of cases. The spatiotemporal analysis was made using SaTScan version 9.4, while spatial autocorrelations and hotspot identification were generated using ArcGIS 10.5 software. A total of 90,716 U5-children diarrhea cases were reported with an annual incidence rate of 36.1 per 1,000 U5-children, indicating a relative risk (RR) of 1.6 and a log-likelihood ratio (LLR) of 1,347.32 (p < 0.001). The highest incidence of diarrhea illness was recorded during the dry season and showed incidence rate increment from October to February. The risky clusters (RR > 1) were in the districts of Bero, Maji, Surma, Minit Shasha, Guraferda, Mizan Aman Town, and Sheko with annual cases of 127.93, 68.5, 65.12, 55.03, 55.67, 54.14 and 44.97 per 1,000, respectively. The lowest annual cases reported were in the four districts of Shay Bench, South Bench, north Bench, and Minit Goldiya, where RR was less than a unit. Six most likely clusters (Bero, Minit Shasha, Surma, Guraferda, South Bench, and Maji) and one lower RR area (North Bench) were hotspot districts. The U5-children's diarrhea in the study area showed an overall increasing trend during the dry seasons with non-random distribution over space and time. The data recorded during ten years and analyzed with the proper statistical tools helped to identify the hotspot areas with risky seasons where diarrhea could increase.
Understanding of stream resilience to anthropogenic pressure is vital for sound implementation of... more Understanding of stream resilience to anthropogenic pressure is vital for sound implementation of conservation efforts, as resilient streams quickly recover from disturbance. However, evidence on the extent of stream recovery is minimal in Ethiopia. This study assesses the temporal responses of macroinvertebrate assemblages to hydrological disturbance of headwater streams in Dinki watershed, in the central highlands of Ethiopia. A total of 86 composite samples were collected along the longitudinal gradient of Dinki stream. A repeated measure analysis of variance (rmANOVA) was computed to explore changes in environmental and macroinvertebrate assemblages between autumn (2016), winter, spring, and summer (2017). The mean differences in the pre-and post-disturbance events (low and high-flows) were computed using the paired t-test. Likewise, a Redundancy Analysis (RDA) was used to visualize patterns in macroinvertebrate distribution and their relationship with environmental variables. Furthermore, indicator taxa were identified using the indicator value (IndVal) method. On top of that, the Jaccard's index was calculated to examine similarities between pre-and post-disturbance events as well as resilience score was computed to quantify the rate of recovery to spate disturbance. The maximum and minimum mean values of macroinvertebrate structures (abundance, richness, diversity, and evenness) were recorded during the pre-and post-disturbance events, respectively. The IndVal of assemblages were highly variable between seasons, indicating variations in ecological preferences. The small Jaccard's index values (lowflow: 0.48; spate:0.35) revealed the severity of the hydrological disturbances. Despite its slow rate (37% recovery within 20 days), a tendency of recovery was evident, particularly due to the presence of stable refuges and assemblages with resistance and resilience traits. Therefore, promoting stream conservation is plausible to ensure habitat heterogeneity, lessen the effects of hydrological disturbances and to enhance resilience.
This study assesses the multidimensional livelihood vulnerability of smallholder farmers to clima... more This study assesses the multidimensional livelihood vulnerability of smallholder farmers to climate change-induced shocks in Dinki watershed, northcentral highlands of Ethiopia. The data were collected through a cross-sectional survey conducted on 288 households, six focus group discussions, and 15 key informant interviews, complemented with 30 years of rainfall and temperature data obtained from the National Metrological Agency. The Livelihood Vulnerability Index (LVI) framed within the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and vulnerability (LVI-IPCC) approach was used to measure households' livelihood vulnerability on the agro-ecology unit of analysis. In each agro-ecology, the LVI and LVI-IPCC were calculated as well as one-way analysis of variance was used to test differences between agro-ecological zones. The findings indicate that the vulnerability dimensions and major components varied between agro-ecological zones (p < 0.001). The result also reveals that increased sensitivity to water and health facilities, recurrent exposure to climate change-induced shocks, poor technology utilization, and limited livelihood diversification practices are principal factors contributing to mounted sensitivity, exposure, and overall livelihood vulnerability of the lowland agroecology. The finding suggests that designing resilience-building adaptation strategies based on the agro-ecology unit of analysis is sound to reduce the vulnerability of smallholder farmers to climate change-induced shocks.
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Papers by Argaw Ambelu