The effect of soil pollution on plant ecology in Mukuvisi Catchment

This study characterized soil pollution (chlorine and lead concentration) in the Middle Mukuvisi Catchment in relation to primary production as measured by the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI). Part of the study area is characterized by sanitary landfills and waste dumps. The Middle Mukuvisi Catchment was stratified into two strata namely: Strata A upstream and Strata B downstream with respect to the centre of the landfilled area. NDVI was derived from the areäs Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) image of 28 April 2007. It was concluded that chlorine and lead concentrations contained in the leachate from the landfills negatively affects both soil quality and primary production in the Middle Mukuvisi Catchment to some weak extent. However, the impacts of pollution on natural resources increase with time resulting in negative effects on entire ecological systems. Recommendations are that the environmental policy makers and planners should encourage continued research into soil pollution and its impact on aquatic resources.