EFFECT OF LAND USE IN RELATION TO SLOPE POSITION ON SOIL PROPERTIES IN A SEMI-HUMID NSUKKA AREA, SOUTHEASTERN NIGERIA

Abstract

A study was carried out during 2011-12 in Department of Soil Science, University of Nsukka, Nigeria. The study assessed the influence of different land uses and slope positions on variability of some selected soil properties. Correlation between clay, dry bulk density, soil organic carbon (SOC) with slope and land use was highly significant (P<0.001). Clay content decreased downslope, increased in forest soil and with depth but silt-sand increased upslope. Soil bulk density increased with depth, upslope and cropped soil. Soil saturated hydraulic conductivity (Ks) was 48.4% less under footslope, decreased with depth and increased (42.9%) in fallow/grassland soil. Volumetric soil moisture under cultivated and fallow soils was significant (P<0.05). Soil total nitrogen, SOC and cation exchange capacity were significantly different (P<0.05) for different land uses. Soil available phosphorus value was statistically similar. However, all the soil property values were found statistically higher in forest soil than in soil of other land uses. Spatial analysis showed various relations between these soil properties, slope and land uses. No-till practices and ridge-furrow system were recommended to increase SOC for soil and water conservation. The study is useful for knowing the land use effect in relation to slope position on soil properties of UkpabiNsukka located in semi-humid agro-ecology zone of Nigeria.