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.

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.

Author(s):  
G. O. Ateh ◽  
M. G. Saka ◽  
E. E. Dishan ◽  
B. B. Meer

This study evaluated the relationship between selected physicochemical properties and microbial populations of the soil of Bagale Forest Reserve, Girei Local Government Area of Adamawa State, Nigeria. Five plots of 20 x 20 m were laid. Soil samples were collected from five different positions at two soil depths of 0-15 cm and 15-30 cm. The soil samples were isolated in the laboratory for microbial populations and determination of physical and chemical properties. The results obtained revealed that fungal population (7.65 x 105 cfu/ml) was the highest at the soil depth of 0-15 cm, representing 39% of the total microbial populations in the sampled soil of the study area. The results further revealed that the population (6.84 x 105 cfu/ml) of the bacteria had a positive effect on soils of the study area in terms of nitrogen fixation by Rhizobacterial spp. Chemical properties of the soil samples revealed that the available phosphorus exhibited the highest percentage (61.7%) at 0-15 cm soil depth. Analyses of soil physical properties recorded the highest percentage (49.0%) of sand at 0-15 cm soil depth. A similar percentage (50.0%) of sand was exhibited at the depth of 15-30 cm. These percentages accounted for the high porosity (29.0%) of the soil observed at the two soil levels in the study area and could be improved through the application of lime fertilizers. Application of appropriate fertilizers like NPK to improve the soil condition of the study area is highly recommended.


2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 ◽  
pp. 1-9
Author(s):  
Daniel Jaleta Negasa

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.


1974 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 35-42 ◽  
Author(s):  
Steven P Kraus ◽  
Leslie W Senger ◽  
James M Ryerson

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (4) ◽  
pp. 1014-1029
Author(s):  
Folasade Mary OWOADE ◽  
Abolakale Olaolu ABOLARIN

Successful agriculture requires the sustainable use of soil resource, because soil can easily lose its quality and quantity within a short period of time. Agricultural practices, therefore, needed basic knowledge of sustainable use of land.           This research was conducted in Asa and Moro Local Government Areas of Kwara State to assess the impacts of different land use types on soil properties in the study area. Six villages noted for farming were randomly visited and in each village, three farms planted each with maize-cassava intercrop, cashew plantation and natural forest were sampled at 0-20 cm depth for laboratory analysis of particle size, pH, carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, exchangeable cations and extractable micronutrients. The bulk density at 0-5 cm, 5-10 cm and 10-15 cm depths were determined. Soil properties were analysed using descriptive statistics. The soil texture was sandy loam with soil pH ranging from slightly acid to acid (6.4 to 5.1). Irrespective of the local government areas and land use, organic carbon (1.83 g kg-1), Sodium (0.12 cmol kg-1), Nitrogen (0.12 g kg-1) and Phosphorus (6.15 mg kg-1) were low while Fe (134.80 mg kg-1), Mn (122.80 mg kg-1) and Zn (19.22 mg kg-1) were high. Across the local government areas, Potassium and Magnesium varied from medium to high while Calcium and Copper were low to medium. The bulk density range was medium to high (1.36 to 1.57 g cm-3) for cashew plantations and maize-cassava intercrop while it was medium (1.40 to 1.47 g cm-3) for natural forest. In conclusion, most of the cultivated soils were low in fertility, with low carbon stocks which is assumed to be due to emission losses arising from continuous cropping. The carbon sequestration status of land uses in the study area was very low. Management practices like composting, green manuring, use of organic fertilizer and residue retention is recommended.      


2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 ◽  
pp. 1-8
Author(s):  
Gebretsadik Melak Tamene ◽  
Hailu Kindie Adiss ◽  
Melese Yigzaw Alemu

Recent research findings imply that the slope aspect has a great impact on soil genesis and soil microclimate. The microclimate has a significant effect on the soil geobiochemical processes taking place in the soil. However, the slope aspect impact on soil properties has not been yet studied well in Ethiopia, particularly in the northern highlands. This research was initiated to link selected soil physicochemical properties with slope aspects under different land use practices. The research was conducted in Gumara-Maksegnit watershed located at the upper Lake Tana basin, Ethiopia. Four slope aspects, eastward (Ew), northward (Nw), southward (Sw), and westward (Ww), and three land use types at each slope aspect, cropland (Cl), forest land (Fl), and grazing land (Gl), were considered. In total, 36 undisturbed soil samples for bulk density and 36 disturbed soil samples for selected soil properties were collected. Soil particle size (texture), bulk density, electrical conductivity (EC), soil pH, available phosphorus (av. P), available potassium (av. K), total nitrogen (TN), and soil organic carbon (SOC) were analyzed. The resulting analyses showed no significant variation (p<0.05) across both slope aspects and/or land use types for soil pH and EC, whereas the slope aspect showed a significant effect (p<0.05) on SOC, TN, av. K, and av. P. The highest significant (p<0.05) mean value of SOC was observed in the Ww (3.04%) followed by Nw (2.52%) but SOC was not significant (p<0.05) between Sw and Ew. While the highest av. K (1233.2 centimole/kilogram) and av. phosphorus (35.76 ppm) were observed in Nw slope aspect, the highest TN was in the Ww slope aspect (0.24%). The significant effect (p<0.05) of land uses can be summarized as Fl > Gl > Cl for SOC and TN. A strong positive correlation was observed between SOC and TN (R2 = 0.997) and av. K and av. P (R2 = 0.58) at p<0.05. Generally, the slope aspect, land use types, and their interaction had a significant effect on soil physicochemical properties.


Author(s):  
Dinesh Panday ◽  
Roshan Babu Ojha ◽  
Devraj Chalise ◽  
Saurav Das ◽  
Bikesh Twanabasu

A study was carried out in the eastern part of Dang district in Nepal to assess the variability of selected soil properties due to different land use and map their spatial distribution. Considering three land use types (agriculture, agroforestry, and grassland), a total of 120 samples were collected from surface soil (0 to 15 cm depth) in May 2015 and analyzed for soil fertility parameters: pH, organic matter (OM), nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), boron (B), and zinc (Zn). Results revealed that the average value of soil pH significantly (P&lt;0.05) varied from 7.05 in agroforestry to 7.53 in agriculture land use. Soil OM and N contents were medium in range in all land use with slight variation, the highest average OM and N found in grassland (2.87% and 0.14% respectively), followed by agriculture (2.64% and 0.13% respectively), and agroforestry (2.45% and 0.12% respectively). Further, the results showed significant variation for P among agroforestry (18.99 kg ha-1) and grassland (8.49 kg ha-1) while the K content was the highest for grassland (144 mg kg-1) and lowest for agriculture (120 mg kg-1). Micronutrients- B was low (0.28 to 0.35 mg kg-1) and Zn was very low (0.14 mg kg-1) in all land use. There is a need to add appropriate fertilizer N, P, B, and Zn to the soil in order to increase the fertility status under different land use. Spatial variability maps for soil chemical properties can be used by farmers and local planners to make effective soil management strategies.


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