Assessment of Soil Properties under Different Land Uses in the Guinea Savannah of Nigeria

Abstract

A study of soil properties under different land uses was carried out to understand the effects of land use on soil in the Guinea Savannah of Nigeria. The study collected five soil samples each from three different land uses, using standard techniques. The samples were analysed using standard procedures and results obtained were subjected to Analysis of Variance (ANOVA). The result indicated that most of the soil properties (bulk density, sand content, organic matter, soil pH, total nitrogen, phosphorus, magnesium, calcium, sodium and cation exchange capacity) varied from one land use to another at 0.5% significance level except potassium, porosity, moisture content, clay and silt in the soil. The results also showed that bulk density was lower in the forest than the other landuses; lower sand content in the cultivated area than in the forest and grazing lands; pH ranges from 5.33 to 6.96; total nitrogen ranged from 0.38 to 0.51 percent and CEC ranged from 6.58cmol/kg-1 in the cultivated area Sto 8.13 cmol/kg-1 in the forest. The study concluded that the different land uses affected the soil in different capacities and had resulted in the differences in soil properties observed under the different land uses. The study recommends land use (conservation tillage, afforestation, mulching and agro forestry) that would encourage land cover so that soil organic matter would continue to add nutrients to the soil and the effects of erosion would also be minimized.