Project Abstract

Project Overview

<p> <b></b></p><p><b><b>INTRODUCTION</b></b></p><p><b><b></b></b></p><b><b><p><b>1.1 &nbsp; BACKGROUND OF STUDY</b></p><p><b></b></p><b><p>Bamboo,<br>the giant grass, is a vernacular term for members of subfamily Bambusoideae of<br>family Poaceae. Bamboo is a predominant species of the humid subtropics/<br>tropics forest ecosystem of the north-east hill region of the Indian<br>subcontinent In Asia, the history of bamboo is inextricably interwoven with<br>human history so much that parts of Asia could be described as a “bamboo<br>civilization.” Bamboo has unique rhizomal growth feature by which culms<br>(individual bamboo) in the clump (cluster of culms) are interconnected and<br>reproduce asexually to produce new culms every year. This characteristic<br>distinguishes bamboo from most other woody plants.</p><p>Bamboos<br>are cultivated and managed in traditional home gardening system (an age old<br>tropical agroforestry system) to fulfill diverse livelihood requirements and<br>provide numerous environmental services to rural community. Furthermore, bamboo<br>plantations protect traditional homesteads from winds, provide construction<br>materials and fuel wood. Bamboo plays an important role in maintaining and<br>improving the nutrient status of the soil (Kleinhenz et al. 2001). From a<br>comparative study, it was reported that the presence of bamboo in the forest<br>significantly affected the physical and chemical properties of soil (Christanty<br>and Kimmins, 1996). Nutrient content in soil was positively related to yield<br>and explained much of variation in yield across bamboo sites and regions in<br>China (Hong S S, 1994 and Shanmughavel et al. 2001).</p><p>Hence,<br>bamboo growth and biomass are positively related to soil organic matter, which<br>is the primary source of nutrients in bamboo cultivation sites in Korea (Jim<br>and Chong, 1982). Bamboo can grow in relatively poor soil and efficiently make<br>use of the available nutrients and build up relatively fertile soil around the<br>clumps (Singh and Singh, 1999). While studying the relationship between soil<br>conditions and fountain bamboo (Sinarundinaria fangiana), it was observed that<br>bamboo grew well on acid soil with low base saturation, deep, and low gravel<br>content of soils but died in the alkaline, shallow, calcareous soil with high gravel<br>content (Zhang, 1996). A canonical correlation analysis for bamboo growth<br>showed that surface soil depth, total nitrogen (N), and soil organic matter<br>content had high positive correlation, and clay content and cation exchange<br>capacity were negatively correlated with the bamboo growth (Chung and Ramma,<br>1990). Studies related to soil and bamboo revealed emphasis has been given to<br>forest bamboos, whereas bamboo plantations remain unexplored although it forms<br>an important component of the agroforestry systems of south Asia, especially in<br>India and Bangladesh.</p><p>In<br>traditional agro-forestry systems, bamboos are grown on soils of poor quality<br>or degraded site of the holdings. Therefore, bamboo has been traditionally used<br>to reclaim degraded lands. Despite the significant impact of bamboos to the<br>livelihood and wellbeing of farmers, there exists the need of scientific<br>understandings of the role of pure plantations of bamboo management on<br>sustaining soil nutrient status.<b></b></p><b><p><b></b></p><b><p><b>1.2 &nbsp; STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM</b></p><p><b></b></p><b><p>Bamboo<br>is a versatile crop with many uses. It has important direct and indirect<br>economic and ecological benefits such as providing housing, furniture, artisan<br>products and soil and water conservation.The ignorant of the various uses of bamboo might be a problem the people of<br>Delta is encountering. Another problem could be that the governments do not put<br>more resources in the plantation and the extraction of bamboo. There might not<br>also be technical hands or an experienced hand in the cultivation and<br>extraction processes. Bamboo still has the stigma of being a poor man’s timber and so<br>people tend to neglect its usefulness or purpose. Finally, many researches has<br>been carried out on bamboo extraction but not even a single research has been<br>carried out on the impact of bamboo extraction in the detoxification of coal<br>rich soul in Ukwu-Nzu in Aniocha North L.G.A of Delta state.</p><p><b>1.3 &nbsp; AIMS AND OBJECTIVES OF STUDY</b></p><p><b></b></p><b><p>The<br>main aim of the study is to examine the impact of bamboo extraction in the<br>detoxification of coal rich soil. Other specific objectives of the study<br>include:</p><p>1. &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <br>to determine the effect of bamboo<br>extraction on coal rich soil.</p><p>2. &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <br>to determine the factors affecting<br>bamboo extraction on the detoxification of coal rich soil.</p><p>3. &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <br>to determine the extent to which<br>bamboo extraction detoxifies coal rich soil.</p><p>4. &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <br>to determine the relationship between<br>bamboo extraction and detoxification of coal rich soil.</p><p>5. &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <br>to proffer possible solutions to the<br>problems. &nbsp;</p><p><b>1.4 &nbsp; RESEARCH QUESTIONS &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; </b></p><p><b></b></p><b><p>1. &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <br>What is the effect of bamboo<br>extraction on coal rich soil?</p><p>2. &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <br>What are the factors affecting bamboo<br>extraction on the detoxification of coal rich soil?</p><p>3. &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <br>What is the extent to which bamboo<br>extraction detoxifies coal rich soil?</p><p>4. &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <br>What is the relationship between bamboo<br>extraction and detoxification of coal rich soil?</p><p>5. &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <br>What are the possible solutions to the<br>problems?</p><p><b>1.5 &nbsp; STATEMENT OF RESEARCH HYPOTHESIS</b></p><p><b></b></p><b><p>H0:<br>Bamboo extraction has no impact on the detoxification of coal rich soil</p><p>H1:<br>Bamboo<br>extraction has impact on the detoxification of coal rich soil<b></b></p><b><p><b></b></p><b><p><b>1.6 &nbsp; SIGNIFICANCE OF STUDY</b></p><p><b></b></p><b><p>The<br>study on the impact of bamboo extraction in the detoxification of coal rich<br>soil will be of immense benefit to the entire Aniocha North L.G.A in the sense<br>that it will enable the government to put resources in the cultivation and<br>extraction processes of bamboo for the benefit of the citizens therein. The study<br>will also enable the government to be proactive in tapping opportunities in the<br>bamboo sector; it is a new addition to the small medium enterprises (SME)<br>sector in the country. It is unique in that it is a very eco-friendly SME. This<br>can be done by partnering with the private financial institutions to evolve<br>special packages for development assistance especially in areas of machine<br>procurement. The study will also educate the citizens of the<br>various uses of bamboo. The study will contribute to the body of existing<br>literature and knowledge in this field of study and provide basis for further<br>research.</p><p><b>1.7 &nbsp; SCOPE OF STUDY</b></p><p>The<br>study on the impact of bamboo extraction in the detoxification of coal rich<br>soil is limited to Ukwu-Nzu in Aniocha North L.G.A. of Delta state.</p><p><b>1.8 &nbsp; LIMITATION OF STUDY</b></p><p><b></b></p><b><p><b>Financial constraint</b>–<br>Insufficient fund tends to impede the efficiency of the researcher in sourcing<br>for the relevant materials, literature or information and in the process of<br>data collection (internet, questionnaire and interview).<b></b></p><b><p><b></b></p><b><p><b>Time constraint</b>–<br>The researcher will simultaneously engage in this study with other academic<br>work. This consequently will cut down on the time devoted for the research work.<b></b></p><b><p><b></b></p><b><p><b>1.9 &nbsp; DEFINITION OF TERMS</b></p><p><b></b></p><b><p><b>Impact</b>A marked effect or<br>influence.<b></b></p><b><p><b></b></p><b><p><b>Bamboo</b>The bamboos are<br>evergreen perennial flowering plants in the subfamily Bambusoideae of the grass<br>family Poaceae. <b></b></p><b><p><b></b></p><b><p><b>Extraction</b>The process of removing something<b></b></p><b><p><b></b></p><b><p><b>Detoxification</b>Is the physiological<br>or medicinal removal of toxic substances.<b></b></p><b><p><b></b></p><b><p><b>Coal</b>A hard, black substance that is dug from<br>the earth in<br>pieces, and<br>can be burned to<br>produce heat or power.</p><p><b>Soil</b>The upper layer of<br>earth in which plants grow, a black or dark brown material typically consisting<br>of a mixture of organic remains, clay, and rock particles.</p></b></b></b></b></b></b></b></b></b></b></b></b></b></b></b></b></b></b></b></b></b></b></b></b></b></b> <br><p></p>