• I'm Professor Ayana Angassa Abdeta

    Rangeland Ecosystem Ecologist at Botswana University of Agriculture and Natural Resources

    Year 2019 Dean's Award Winner For outstanding performance in delivering the Faculty of Natural Resources Mandate.


    Download My CV

  • My Research interests are

    Dryland Ecology and Range Management, Fire Ecology, Climate Change and Food Security, Determinants of African savannas,Range Plant Ecophysiology, Effects of drought and Drought management policy, Indigenous knowledge and role of traditional institution in natural resource management

    Research Proposals Recent Presentations

  • Acacia drepanolobium

    Acacia drepanolobium is one of the most encroaching species in Southern Ethiopia

  • Fire Break

    Preparation of fireline to control the escape of fire while conducting prescribed fire in Southern Ethiopia.

  • Students Practicals

    BUAN (ASP) students at Mr. Visagie’s Donkey Dairy farmer participated in Donkey’s Hoof Trimming to help prevent lameness as part of Husbandry practices.
    Picture by Dr. Wame, Boitumelo (Botswana)

About Me

My Profession

I'm Professor Ayana Angassa Abdeta Range Ecosytem Ecologist with a research interest in effect of climate on rangeland vegetation dynamics, plant-animal interaction, effects of fire on vegetation, bush encroachment and indigenous knowledge.

Range Ecology

Climate Change

Land degradation

Ecosystems

I am happy that I have 60+ publications and projects
done sucessfully!

Engage me
AWARDS

Some of my awards

March 2011-April 2013

Alexander von Humboldt Foundation Postdoctoral Research Fellow

January- May 2010

University of Hoheinheim DAAD funded research fellowship

Jan 2003-August 2007

Norwegian State Educational loan fund (Lånekassen)

Jan 2003-August 2007

Norwegian Program for Development, Research and Education Fund (NUFU)

November 2015

Fellow Ethiopian Academy of Sciences

January 2016

Certicate of Recognition National reaserch council of Ethophia

Students Supervisions
Publications
Projects
Partners
My Specialty

My Skills

As Range Ecologist, I have vast experience in a number of streams including effects of drought and drought management policy, indigenous knowledge and role of traditional institution in natural resource management,environmental history, fire ecology, natural resource mangement and land degradation

Range Ecology

75%

Range Management

60%

Climate Change

85%

Fire Ecology

90%

Indegenous Knowledge

70%

Plant Animal interaction

80%
Education

Education

April 2013: Postdoctoral certificate

Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, University of Cologne, Botanical Institute, Range Ecology and Management Group

May 2010: Post-doc Certificate

University of Hohenheim, Institute of Plant Production and Agro-ecology in the Tropics and Sub-tropics and Food security Centre, Stuttgart, Germany

December 2007: PhD in Range Ecology, Norwegian University of Life Sciences

January 1999: MSc in Animal Production and Range Ecology, Alemaya University of Agriculture, Alemaya, Ethiopia

July 1990: BSc in Agriculture (majoring in Animal Sciences), Alemaya University of Agriculture, Alemaya, Ethiopia

Certificate of Competence

  • 2019: Certificate for presenting a paper entitled "Proposal to introdunce a Bachelor of Science Programme in Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences at Botswana University of Agriculture and Natural resources at an International Conference on Aquatic Resources and Aquaculture for Sustainable Development, Hawassa, Ethiopia
  • 2018: Certificate of Competence-Moderators Course Following the assessment against BQA Unit standards. Training period ended 19th January 2018, Gaborone, Botswana.
  • 2017: Certificate of Competence-Assessors Course Following the assessment against BQA Unit standards. Training period ended 08th December 2017, Gaborone, Botswana.
  • 2017: Certificate of Competence-Training of Trainers Course Following the assessment against BQA Unit standards. Training period ended 30th June 2017, Gaborone, Botswana.
  • 2015: Certificate in Disaster Risk Management, Humboldt university Berlin Germany.
  • 2015: Certificate of achievement, climate change and environmental pprotection in Ethiopia, Faculty of Agriculture and Environmental Science, Universtity of Rostock.
  • 2009: Certificate of recognition for contribution as a research team adviser, South Nations Nationalities & People Regional State of Ethiopia
  • 2009: Certificate of acknowledgement for coordinating the successful conduct of sheep and goat production technics course at Hawassa University,Ethiopia
  • 2000: Certificate for participating in participatory rural apprasal training and diagnostic survey at Debub University Ethopia,Hawassa, Ethiopia
  • 2000: Certificate for participating in participatory on farm trial training at Debub University Ethiopia,Hawassa, Ethiopia
Where I worked

Work Experience

Professor 25 July 2016- to date

Professor, Range Ecology and Management, Botswana University of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Gaborone, Botswana

Associate Professor 15 March 2010-22 July 2016

Associate Professor, Department of Animal and Range Sciences, College of Agriculture, Hawassa University, Hawassa, Ethiopia

Head of Department November 2008-February 2011

Head of Department of Animal and Range Sciences, College of Agriculture, Hawassa University, Hawassa, Ethiopia

Assistant Scientist November 2007-February 2008

Assistant Scientist, Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway

Research Fellow January 2003-October 2007

Research Fellow, Norwegian University of Life Sciences

Lecturer March 1999 – December 2002

Lecturer,Debub Unoversity, Hawassa, Ethiopia

Manager June 1993 – October 1997

Manager, Borana Cattle Breeding and Improvement Ranch, Yabello, Ethiopia

My Publications

Recent Work

  • Seifu Eyassu, Ayana Angassa, Boitumelo, W. (2019). Community-based camel ecotourism in Botswana: Current status and future perspectives. Journal of Camelid Science 2018, 11: 33–48.
  • Yaregal Melak, Ayana Angassa and Aster Abebe. (2019). Effects of grazing intensity to water source on grassland condition, yield and nutritional content of selected grass species in North-West Ethiopia. Ecological Processes (In Press).
  • Yonas Jagisso Jens Aune and Ayana Angassa. (2019). Unlocking the Agricultural Potential of Manure in Agropastoral Systems: Traditional Beliefs Hindering Its Use in Southern Ethiopia. Agriculture Agriculture 2019, 9, 45; doi:10.3390 agriculture 9030045.
  • Kenea Feyisa; Ayana Angassa; Sheleme Beyene (under review) Effects of long-term ban of fire on carbon dynamics and soil properties in Borana rangelands of Southern Ethiopia. Submitted to Catena.
  • Ayana Angassa. (Under review). Strengthening drought resilience in the Horn of African pastoral systems: synthesis of existing knowledge from East Africa. Submitted to Botswana Journal of Agriculture and Applied Sciences.
  • Mulugeta Gudisa, Ayana Angassa, Aster Abebe, Kenea Feyisa and Alemayehu Mengistu. (Under review). Effects of enclosure management and rangeland sites on chemical composition of herbaceous species in south central Ethiopia Submitted to Botswana Journal of Agriculture and Applied Sciences.
  • Denbeshu Debeko, Ayana Angassa, Aster Abebe, Ashenafi Burka and Adugna Tolera. Human-climate induced drivers of mountain grassland over the last 40 years in Sidama,Ethiopia: perceptions versus empirical evidence. (2018) 7:34Ecological Processes
  • Sally E. Koerner, Melinda D. Smith, Deron E. Burkepile, Niall P. Hanan, Meghan L. Avolio, Scott L. Collins, Alan K. Knapp, Nathan P. Lemoine, Elisabeth J. Forrestel, Stephanie Eby, Dave I. Thompson, Gerardo A. Aguado-Santacruz, John P. Anderson, T. Michael Anderson, Ayana Angassa, Sumanta Bagchi, Elisabeth S. Bakker, Gary Bastin, Lauren E. Baur, Karen H. Beard, Erik A. Beever, Patrick J. Bohlen, Elizabeth H. Boughton, Don Canestro, Ariela Cesa, Enrique Chaneton, Jimin Cheng, Carla M. D’Antonio, Claire Deleglise, Fadiala Dembélé, Josh Dorrough, David J. Eldridge, Barbara Fernandez-Going, Silvia Fernández-Lugo, Lauchlan H. Fraser, Bill Freedman, Gonzalo García-Salgado, Jacob R. Goheen, Liang Guo, Sean Husheer, Moussa Karembé, Johannes M. H. Knops, Tineke Kraaij, Andrew Kulmatiski, Minna-Maarit Kytöviita, Felipe Lezama, Gregory Loucougaray, Alejandro Loydi, Dan G. Milchunas, Suzanne J. Milton, John W. Morgan, Claire Moxham, Kyle C. Nehring, Han Olff, Todd M. Palmer, Salvador Rebollo, Corinna Riginos, Anita C. Risch, Marta Rueda, Mahesh Sankaran, Takehiro Sasaki, Kathryn A. Schoenecker, Nick L. Schultz, Martin Schütz, Angelika Schwabe, Frances Siebert, Christian Smit, Karen A. Stahlheber, Christian Storm, Dustin J. Strong, Jishuai Su, Yadugiri V. Tiruvaimozhi, Claudia Tyler, James Val, Martijn L. Vandegehuchte, Kari E. Veblen, Lance T. Vermeire, David Ward, Jianshuang Wu, Truman P. Young, Qiang Yu and Tamara Jane Zelikova. Change in dominance determines herbivore effects on plant biodiversity. Nature Ecology and Evolution, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41559-018-0696-y. (Role: Research work conceptualization, data contribution, and design, co-drafted and write up, edited).
  • H.Tekaa, I.C. Madakadze, A. Hassen, Ayana Angassa, and M. Mussa (2018). Impacts of a mineral lick centred land use system on woody vegetation cover in an East African Savanna. African Journal of ecology, DOI: 10.1111/aje.12503. (Role: Member of supervisory committee, Research work conceptualization and design, co-drafted and write up, edited).
  • Habtamu Teka, Casper I. Madakadze, Joel O. Botai, Abubeker Hassen, Ayana Angassa and Yared Mesfin. (2018). Evaluation of land use land cover changes using remote sensing Landsat images and pastoralists’ perceptions on range cover changes in Borana rangelands, Southern Ethiopia. International Journal of Biodiversity and Conservation 10(1): 1-11. DOI: 10.5897/IJBC2017.1123, ISSN 2141-243X. (Role: Member of supervisory committee, Research work conceptualization and design, co-drafted and write up, edited).
  • Ermias Aynekulua, Wolde Mekuria, Diress Tsegaye, Kenea Feyissa, Ayana Angassa, Jan de Leeuw, Keith Shepherd (2017). Long-term livestock exclosure did not affect soil carbon in southern Ethiopian rangelands. Geoderma 307 (2017) 1–7. (Role: Co-initiated the conceptualization and design of the research work, co-drafted and edited article).
  • Kenea Feyisa, Sheleme Beyene, Ayana Angassa, Mohammed Y. Said, Jan de Leeuw, Aster Abebe, Bekele Megersa. (2017). Effects of enclosure management on carbon sequestration, soil properties and vegetation attributes in East African rangelands. Catena 159 (2017) 9–19. (Role: Initiated and co-lead the Thesis research work from conceptualization and design, co-drafted, edited and corresponding author)
  • Minyahel Tilahun, Ayana Angassa and Aster Abebe (2017). Community-based knowledge towards rangeland condition, climate change, and adaptation strategies: the case of Afar pastoralists. Ecological processes (2017) 6:29 DOI 10.1186/s13717-017-0094-4. (Role: Main supervisor, Research work conceptualization and design, co-drafted and write up, edited and corresponding author)
  • Galma Wako, Menfese Tadesse and Ayana Angassa (2017). Camel management as an adaptive strategy to climate change by pastoralists in southern Ethiopia. Ecological Processes (2017) 6:26 DOI 10.1186/s13717-017-0093-5. (Role: Main supervisor, Research work conceptualization and design, co-drafted and write up, edited and corresponding author).
  • Linstädter, A., Bora, Z., Tolera, A., Ayana Angassa. (2016). The more invasive the less facilitative? Canopy effects of encroaching and non-encroaching Acacia species on understory vegetation in an East African savanna landscape. Journal of Vegetation Science. 19: (2) 291–303. (Role: Main supervisor, Research work conceptualization and design, co-drafted and write up, edited).
  • Yonas, B., Beyene, F., Negatu, L., Ayana Angassa. (2016). Impact of resettlement on vegetation status and rangeland condition in southern Ethiopia. African Journal of Agricultural Research 11 (7) 233-542. (Role: Research work conceptualization and design, co-drafted and write up, edited and corresponding author).
  • Ayana Angassa (2016). Vegetation responses to site, elevation and land use in semi-arid rangeland of Southern Ethiopia. African Journal of Agricultural Research 11 (5) 379-391. (Role: Research work conceptualization and design, data collection and analysis, drafted and write up, edited and corresponding author).
  • Minyahel Tilahun, Ayana Angassa, Aster Abebe, Alemayehu Mengistu (2016). Perception and attitude of pastoralists on the use and conservation of rangeland resources in Afar region, Ethiopia. Journal of Ecological processes. 20165:18 DOI 10.1186/s13717-016-0062-4. (Role: Main supervisor, Research work conceptualization and design, co-drafted and write up, edited and corresponding author).
  • Abate, T., Ayana Angassa. (2016). Conversion of savanna rangelands to bush dominated landscape in Borana, southern Ethiopia. Journal of Ecological Processes 5:6 DOI 10.1186/s13137-016-0049-1. (Role: Research work conceptualization and design, co-drafted and write up, edited and corresponding author).

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    Gallery

    Gallery
    Between June 2003 and June 2005 | Borana Southern Ethiopia

    Experimental design to study the dynamics and management of savannah ecosystem

    Project name: Bush encroachment as a process of landscape change in Borana rangeland, southern Ethiopia

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    Picture taken in January 2004 | Hara-Wayu, Borana,Ethiopia

    Household survey on community based knowledge

    To understand the perception of local people about the environment.

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    Picture take in June 2003 | Dida-Tuyura ranch, Yabello, Borana,Ethiopia

    Suppression of invasive woody plants

    Purpose was to encourage grass regrowth

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    Get in Touch

    Contact Me

    hello@ayanangassa.com

    Sebele Content Farm, Gaborone, Botswana

    +267 3650701