摘要
Mapping of topography and land use/cover as well as spring water yield measurements were done for 2 dambo-spring fed micro-catchments in Incalaue river catchment.The springs are located near Ntimbo 1 and Lizongole human settlement areas in Niassa Special Reserve(NSR).Community consultations were used to asses locally perceived knowledge of dambo-spring catchments dependence by these communities and wildlife;as well as changes and experiences.The Ntimbo 1 dambo-spring catchment(26.55 sq.km)has elevation gradient of 310 to 530 m a.s.l;and the area can topographically be linked to Incalaue river by delineation from a 90-meter spatial resolution Digital Elevation Model(DEM).The Lizongole dambo-spring catchment(1.33 sq.km)has elevation gradient of 300 to 360 m a.s.l and cannot easily be delineated from 90-meter DEM.Both catchments have the 6 vegetation classes existing in the area as well as farmlands and human settlement areas.There exists potential for wildlife-human water source conflict due to dambo dependence by humans and wildlife in the dry season.Ntimbo dambo-spring had a higher water yield per second than the Lizongole dambo-spring.There was no significant difference in spring yields of Ntimbo and Lizongole in the dry season(P<0.05).The Lizongole spring could not be gauged in the wet season because of the wet dambo valley wetland location.There was no significant reduction in water yield for Ntimbo spring during the dry season(P<0.05).The study suggests that Ntimbo spring could be from a confined aquifer;and Lizongole spring to be from a shallow unconfined aquifer.This study contributes understanding of the poorly-defined dambo areas by adding the role of groundwater in supporting micro-dambos which support herbaceous flora and graminivorous fauna as well as human populations in Incalaue basin in NSR especially in the dry season.
