Soil physico-chemical properties and fertility status of long-term land use and cover changes: A case study in Forest vegetative zone of Nigeria

Year 2018, Volume: 7 Issue: 2, 133 - 150, 01.04.2018

Idowu Ezekiel Olorunfemi Johnson Toyin Fasinmirin Funke Florence Akinola

https://doi.org/10.18393/ejss.366168

Cited By: 19

Abstract

Proper utilization of land is essential to soil quality maintenance and
sustainable agricultural development. This study was conducted to evaluate effects of
land use management on physico-chemical characteristics of soils in Ekiti
State, Southwestern Nigeria. In this study, a total of 105 sampling points in
35 locations comprising of the 3 land uses were sampled. Random sampling
pattern of 3 sampling points per
location were carried out and undisturbed soil samples were collected at
depths up to 30 cm. Soil physical properties (bulk density (BD), water holding
capacity (WHC), and particle size distribution) and chemical properties
(organic matter content (SOM), cation exchange capacity (CEC), phosphorus (P)
and organic nitrogen (SON)), were determined and evaluated. Results showed that
natural forest on the overall accumulated more nutrients than plantations and
cropland. The
highest SOM value of 4.07 % was recorded in the natural forests, while the
lowest value of 1.52 % was found in the croplands. Organic matter
accumulation showed a decreasing trend in the order:  forest > plantation > cropland. Natural
forest soils had significantly higher volumetric moisture content (VMC) than
plantations and croplands.  Correlation
analysis of the 11 physico-chemical properties for the study area, showed a
significant correlation among 70 of the 190 soil attribute pairs. Land
use system reveals a significant decline of soil quality under cropland. Management systems
by which soil could be improved towards the development of suitable agricultural management systems must be incorporated during land cultivation. In
order to have sustainable land use systems, land use development must not be
only economically sustainable but also socially acceptable and environmentally
sound. Therefore, strategies to improve agricultural productivity have to seek
a sustainable solution that better addresses soil fertility management.

Keywords

Organic matter, bulk density, natural forest, croplands, plantation agriculture

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