Academic Research Journal of Agricultural Science and Research
 

Vol. 6(8), pp. 475-487. October, 2018.

ISSN: 2360-7874 

 DOI: 10.14662/ARJASRD2018.078

Full Length Research

Effect of Land Use Types and Slope Gradient on Soil Physico-Chemical Properties in Upper Eyiohia River Watershed Afikpo North, Southeastern Nigeria

^1*Ota, Henry Obiahu., ¹Aja, Daniel., ²Agama, Idika Kalu., ³Okolo, Chukwuebuka Christopher., ⁴Ogbodo, Emmanuel Nwabunwanne and ⁵Mbah, Charles Ndubuisi

¹Department of Environmental Science, Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia

²Department of Land, Environment, Agriculture and Forestry, University of Padova, Italy

³Department of Land Resources Management and Environmental Protection, Mekelle University Ethiopia

⁴Department of Agronomy, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Nigeria

⁵Department of Soil and Environmental management, Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki, Nigeria

*Corresponding Author’s Email Address: otahenry5@gmail.com or ota.henry@aau.edu.et

Accepted 3 October 2018

A field study was conducted to determine soil physico-chemical variations under different land use types and slope gradient and generate data for management options in the study area. The watershed was delineated into two topographical units (Upstream and downstream sub catchment watershed), important land use types (cultivated, grazing and forest lands) were identified. Three composite soil samples were collected on each land use in both upstream and downstream to a soil depth of 30 cm and replicated three times to determine selected physical and chemical properties. Data generated from laboratory result were subjected to statistical analysis of variance.  Result on Selected physicochemical properties as affected by land use type indicates that Bulk density (BD),Total Porosity (TP), Available Water Capacity(AWC), Field Capacity (FC), manganese (Mn) and zinc (Zn) were significantly different (p<0.05) between land use types, while Sand, Silt, BD, Particle Density (PD), Total Porosity, Available Phosphorous, manganese, zinc and cupper were significantly different (p<0.05) between upstream and downstream sub catchment watershed. Exchangeable bases (,Calcium (Ca) and potassium (K)), Cation Exchange Capacity, organic carbon and total nitrogen is rated low in the studied area and are presently inadequate to sustain the current land use.

Keywords: GIS, Land use, Physico-chemical properties, Slope gradient, Soil quality

How to cite this article (APA Style): Ota, H.O., Aja, D., Agama, I.K., Okolo, C.C., Ogbodo, E.N., Mbah, C.N (2018). Effect of Land Use Types and Slope Gradient on Soil Physico-Chemical Properties in Upper Eyiohia River Watershed Afikpo North, Southeastern Nigeria. Acad. Res. J. Agri. Sci. Res. 6(8): 475-487