Abstract
BackgroundThe complex nature of the relationship and interaction between LULC and slope gradients resulted in the decline of soil fertility parameters, which aggravate the reduction of sustainable productivity in Ethiopia in general and the study area in particular. This study was aimed to determine the effects of land use land cover and slope gradients on the physicochemical properties of soil in study area A total of 27 composite soil samples were collected from 0-20cm depth under three dominant adjacent LULC across three slope with three replications. The collected soil samples were analyzed for selected soil physicochemical properties. Two-way ANOVA was used to test the mean differences of the soil fertility parameters. ResultThe mean values of soil physicochemical parameters showed that, SOC, TN, AvP, CEC, exchangeable bases (Ca2+ Mg2+, K+, and Na+), PBS, and percentage of clay contents of cultivated land and steep slope gradient (15-30%) were low and significantly different at (P≤0.05) than forest and grad grassland of the same slope gradient.. The gentle slope (3-8%) gradients of the forest lands had the lowest BD and high TP as compared to the others.ConclusionThe overall soil fertility status of the steep slope gradient (15-30%) of cultivated lands is lower than others and cultivating the steep slope is the cause for productivity loss in the study sub-watershed. Therefore, proper land-use planning and the use of integrated soil fertility management strategy give better production and keep the soil fertility status to a better level.
Soil Fertility Status of Different Land Use System in Chikhaldhara tahasil of Maharashtra State
