Effects of land use and topographical attributes on soil properties in an agricultural landscape

Soil Research ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 49 (7) ◽  
pp. 606 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peng-Tao Guo ◽  
Wei Wu ◽  
Hong-Bin Liu ◽  
Mao-Fen Li
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Soil Properties ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Elevation Gradient ◽  
Paddy Fields ◽  
Western China ◽  
Available Phosphorus ◽  
Land Use Types ◽  
Effects Of Land Use ◽  
Topographical Attributes

Knowledge about soil properties associated with land use and topographical attributes is vital for modelling soil–landscape relationships and establishing sustainable on-field management practices. Our study focuses on an arable area in south-western China, where paddy fields and vegetable growing are dominant land uses. These are representative of millions of hectares of farmland in south-western China. Samples from 120 sites were collected according to a gridded sampling scheme and analysed. Land-use map units were delineated at a scale of 1 : 2000 from field survey. Topographical indicators (elevation, aspect, slope) were extracted from a digital elevation model with a resolution of 2 m. One-way and two-way analyses of variance and Pearson correlations were adopted to investigate the effects of land use and topographical variables on the selected soil properties: pH, organic matter (OM), ammonium-nitrogen (N), available phosphorus (P), available potassium (K), exchangeable calcium (Ca), and exchangeable magnesium (Mg). Statistically significant differences were found for OM, P, Ca, Mg, and pH between the land-use types and elevation gradient as well as slope classes. Mean contents of OM and P in paddy fields (lower and flat locations) were lower than in vegetable lands (higher and steep places) (P < 0.05). Mean values of Ca, Mg, and pH in paddy fields were higher than in vegetable lands (P < 0.05). Further analysis combining with management practice demonstrated that the redistribution of pH, OM, N, P, Ca, and Mg was mainly controlled by the interactive effects of topography and land use. Therefore, interactions between topography and land-use types need to be considered in regional soil properties inventory assessments.

scholarly journals Effects of Land Use Types on Selected Soil Properties in Central Highlands of Ethiopia

2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 ◽  
pp. 1-9
Author(s):  
Daniel Jaleta Negasa
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Soil Properties ◽  
Lower Layer ◽  
Cultivated Land ◽  
Exchangeable Sodium Percentage ◽  
Exchangeable Sodium ◽  
Land Use Types ◽  
Sodium Percentage ◽  
Central Highlands ◽  
Effects Of Land Use

Rapid land use changes have been observed in recent years in central Ethiopia. The shift from natural ecosystem to artificial ecosystem is the main direction of change. Therefore, this study was initiated to assess the effects of land use types on selected soil properties in Meja watershed, central highlands of Ethiopia. The randomized complete block design, including three adjacent land use types as treatments with three replications and two soil depths (0–15 and 15–30 cm), was applied in this study. There were significant differences in some soil properties among the three land use types. Lower soil pH and electric conductivity were observed in cultivated land soils than Eucalyptus woodlots soils. This has indicated the worsening soil conditions due to the shift from Eucalyptus woodlots to cultivated land. Less decomposition rate of the Eucalyptus leaves and debris collection for fuel could result in lowest soil organic carbon at the upper layer of Eucalyptus woodlot soils. However, the highest soil organic carbon at the lower layer was observed in Eucalyptus woodlot soils. The presence of highest soil potassium, cation exchange capacity, and exchangeable potassium in cultivated land soil was related to application of artificial fertilizers. Grassland soils have highest exchangeable sodium at the lower layer while highest soil carbon and sum cations at the upper layer, which can be related to the grass root biomass return and less surface runoff on grassland. There was the highest exchangeable sodium percentage on Eucalyptus woodlot soils at the upper layer; it can be due to the less surface nutrient movement and growth characteristics of the tree. The soils in cultivated land was shifted to more acidic and less electric conductivity.This shift can lead to soil quality deterioration that affects the productivity of the soils in the future.Nutrient leaching, application of artificial fertilizer, soil erosion, and continuous farming have affected the soil properties in cultivated land. The presence of highest exchangeable sodium percentage and lowest sum of cations at the upper layer of soil in Eucalyptus woodlot should be noted for management and decision makers. The previous negative speculations on Eucalyptus woodlots which can be related with the soil texture, soil moisture, bulk density, total nitrogen, exchangeable magnesium, calcium, and available sulfur should be avoided because there were no significant differences observed among the three land use types in the study area. The study recommends further studies on the effects of Eucalyptus on soil properties by comparing among different ages and species of Eucalyptus. Finally, planting of Eucalyptus on central highlands of Ethiopia should be supported by land use management decision.

scholarly journals Variability in Soil Properties as Influenced by Different Land Use Types in an Ultisols of the Tropical Region, Delta State, Nigeria

2014 ◽  
Vol 47 (2) ◽  
pp. 43-48
Author(s):  
Collins Nnamdi Egbuchua
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Particle Size ◽  
Particle Size Distribution ◽  
Soil Properties ◽  
Size Distribution ◽  
Oil Palm ◽  
Tropical Region ◽  
Available Phosphorus ◽  
Ratio Test ◽  
Land Use Types

Abstract The study was conducted in the 2010 - 2012 cropping seasons in a typical ultisols of the tropics. The aim was to assess variability in soil properties as influenced by three land use types namely: oil palm plantation, maize and yam cultivated lands. The study consisted of both field and laboratory studies. The field study was made up of a land use that was carefully surveyed, mapped into 20 × 30 m2 and plotted into 5 homogenous units of 0.25 ha. Soil samples were randomly augered by grid survey at 5 m equidistant points and surface 0-15 cm samples collected using screw auger for laboratory analysis of the particle size distribution and some chemical characteristics of the soils in the different land use types. Variation in properties within land use types was measured by estimating the coefficient of variance. The results of the study showed that particle size distribution varied from sand in the oil palm land use type to sandy loam in the maize and yam land use types. The variant ratio tests were 84.4%, for sand, 0.51% for silt and 27.4% for clay, and were less variable. The soil pH ranged from strongly acid (5.25) to moderate acid (5.65) and less variable (CV% = <15%). The variant ratio test was statistically not significant (10.7%). The organic carbon (35.7%), total nitrogen (34.5%) and available phosphorus (27.2%) variant ratio tests were non-significant and less variable. The exchangeable bases, exchange acidity and ECEC were also non significant and less variable. The results indicated clearly that variability could occur within soil units and therefore called for caution in assessing uniformity of soil properties within soil areas under cultivation

scholarly journals The Effects of Land use Change on the Some Soil Properties in Gbonyin Local Government Area of Ekiti State, Nigeria

2018 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 74-79
Author(s):  
ADEBAYO, W. O. ◽  
OLOFIN, E. O.
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Local Government ◽  
Soil Properties ◽  
Chemical Properties ◽  
Soil Samples ◽  
Local Government Area ◽  
Residential Land ◽  
Land Use Types ◽  
Residential Land Use ◽  
Effects Of Land Use

The aim of this research is to examine the response of some soil properties to the changes in land cover/land use in Gbonyin Local Government Area of Ekiti State, Nigeria. Land use changes as a result of human activities have been identified as one of the greatest pressures to soil and forest resources. The change from natural vegetation land use to built-up and agricultural land uses is becoming rampant in Gbonyin Local Government Area of Ekiti State, Nigeria. The objective of this study was to examine the effects of land use change on the some soil properties. Two major land use types which include forest lands and residential lands uses were explored. Soil samples were collected at the depth of 0 on 30cm through the use of soil auger from ten different locations in each of the two land use types in the study area making twenty soil samples. The use of t-test statistical tool was implored on the laboratory results in order to test for the differences between the soil in forest and residential land use types. Results revealed that the soil physico-chemical properties differed significantly between the sites. Chemical properties of the soil were found to be generally low in residential land use while they were high in vegetation land use. Bulk density was high in residential land use while it was low in forest land use.

scholarly journals Spatial variability of soil properties under different landuse in Koupendri catchment, Benin

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chukwuebuka Vincent Azuka ◽  
Attanda Mouinou Igué
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Soil Properties ◽  
Rice Field ◽  
Available Phosphorus ◽  
Management Zones ◽  
North West ◽  
Grid Sampling ◽  
Land Use Types ◽  
Spherical Models ◽  
Effect Ratio

The spatial distribution of soil properties especially saturated hydraulic conductivity (Ksat), Bulk density (BD), soil organic carbon (SOC), total nitrogen (TN) and available phosphorus (Avail.P) is fundamental to sustainable management of soil resources. About 291 surface soil (0-20 cm) samples were collected across three land use types (maize-sorghum (MS), rice field and fallow shrub-grassland (FSG) in Koupendri, north-west Benin using a grid sampling of 25 m x 25 m supplemented with samplings at 5 m x 5 m. Data obtained were subjected to classical and spatial statistics, Pearson’s correlation and analysis of variance using GENSTAT. The soil properties showed normal and non-normal distribution, variation was high (75-126.7 %) for Ksat, moderate (29-45 %) for SOC, C/N and Avail.P, and low (7-15) for BD and TN across the land use. Land use had significant (P &lt; 0.05) effect on all the soil properties evaluated except C/N. The highest values of Ksat (151.6 cm/d), SOC (1.26 %), BD (1.79 g/cm<sup>3</sup>), TN (0.105 %), Avail.P (4.66 ppm) and C/N (12.14) were obtained under the MS cropland whereas porosity was highest (43.7 %) in the rice field. High significant correlation (P &lt; 0.01) was observed among the soil properties irrespective of land use.  The correlation length (65-300 m) and nugget effect ratio indicates high variation and strong spatially dependent soil properties. However, TN, BD, Avail.P and C/N were weakly spatially dependent. The variograms were fitted with mostly exponential and spherical models. The interpolation map could help in delineating different management zones and for making good agronomic decisions.

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