In the nutrient-poor, highly leached soils of the Miombo woodlands in Central and Southern Africa, local farmers practice a specialized variant of shifting cultivation known as the *Chitemene* system. What is the primary ecological mechanism by which this agricultural practice temporarily restores soil fertility for crop production?
- Concentrating and burning tree branches lopped from a wide surrounding woodland area to create a nutrient-rich ash bed that reduces soil acidityAnswer
- BDeep sub-soil ploughing to expose un-weathered mineral parent rock to intense tropical weathering in arid northern savanna belts
- CControlled seasonal river flooding that deposits rich alluvial silt onto low-lying floodplain terraces during annual high-discharge flows
- DApplication of synthetic nitrogenous fertilizers combined with continuous leguminous crop cover to eliminate the need for fallow periods
Answer
The primary ecological mechanism of the Chitemene system is concentrating tree branches from a wide area into a central plot and burning them, which creates a nutrient-rich ash bed that neutralizes soil acidity.
The Chitemene system is a distinctive indigenous agricultural practice in Central Africa (notably Zambia). Because the soils of the Miombo woodlands are heavily leached and acidic, farmers lop branches from surrounding trees across a wide perimeter, haul them into a central field, and burn them. The ash layer provides a concentrated boost of mineral nutrients and temporarily neutralizes soil acidity, allowing crop growth for a few seasons before the plot must be left fallow.
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Key Concept
Chitemene System and Soil Fertility Restoration in African Shifting Cultivation