Impact of Altitude and Land Use Type on Some Physical and Chemical Properties of Acidic Soils in Tsegede Highlands, Northern Ethiopia

Abstract

A study was conducted in the Tsegede highlands of Tigray Region, northern Ethiopia to determine the changes in some physical and chemical attributes across three adjacent acidic soil sites with different elevation and three land use types. Analytical results of the collected surface layer soil samples showed significant (P  0.05) correlation of soil bulk density, OM and total N with elevation. In the lower elevation site (Indaslasie), soil OM content declined by about 43 and 52% compared with that of the two higher elevation sites (Cheguarcudo and Indamariam), respectively. Soil pH, exchangeable acidity, exchangeable Al, OM, total N and available phosphorus also exhibited significant (P  0.05) disparity across the three land use types of the area. Soils of the forest land were less acidic by 0.43 and 0.68 pH units than the cultivated and grazing lands, respectively. The soil OM content of the cultivated land was significantly lower by about 25 and 35% than the grazing and forest land soils, respectively. Available soil P status was low and showed significant correlations with pH (r = 0.65**), exchangeable acidity (r = −0.58*) and Al (r = −0.53*). In general, the study results revealed altitude did not impose any significant effect in aggravating soil acidity whereas land use type affected significantly not only soil acidity but also the important soil fertility related parameters such as OM, total N and available P contents. Therefore, it can be suggested that besides to the usual acid soil management and/or reclamation practices, introducing proper land use management systems are of paramount importance.

Soil organic carbon variation in relation to land use changes: the case of Birr watershed, upper Blue Nile River Basin, Ethiopia

“…This might be related to the selective pumping of bases from the layer below through perennial plant roots which gradually release base cations. This is in agreement with Kidanemariam et al (2012) and Fantaw and Abdu (2011) who stated that the continuous release of basic cations from the slow decomposition of organic residues and deposition of bases at the surface by the deep rooting of forest trees from the subsoil.…”

Seasonal and altitudinal variations of soil arthropods in Abies nordmanniana subsp. bornmulleriana forests

“…The soil phosphorus concentrations found by Kidanemariam et al (2012) in forest soils were very close to the ones revealed in this present study.…”

“…Litter nitrogen concentrations did not change significantly depending on the season, whereas contrary to our results, significant seasonal variations were found in the litter nitrogen ratios in fir stands (Bolat 2011) and in oak stands (Çakır 2013). Similar to our findings at the altitude steps; Kidanemariam et al (2012) found a significant variation in litter or soil nitrogen depending on the altitude; while contrary to these results, Güner (2006) did not detect a significant change.…”

Effect of altitudinal variation on the soil characteristics in sal (Shorea robusta gaertn.) forests of eastern Nepal

“…Similar finding was also reported by Singh and Kashyap (2006) in Bindhyan region, Utter Pradesh, India and Kidanemariam et al (2012) in Tsegeden highlands, northern Ethiopia. Griffiths et al (2009) also found an opposite relationship between elevation and bulk density in Oregon Cascade Mountains.…”