Impacts of Land use on Selected Physicochemical Properties of Soils of Gindeberet Area, Western Oromia, Ethiopia

Abstract

Article InformationThis study was carried out with the objective of determining impact of land uses on selected soil physicochemical properties of Gindeberet area, Western Ethiopia. Disturbed and undisturbed surface soil samples (0-20 cm) were collected from each land use type and examined for their analysis of soils physicochemical properties. Soil samples were analyzed at Ambo University Chemistry Laboratory. Standard procedures were employed for the analyses of selected soil properties. Soil pH ranged from 4.88 (cultivated land) to 5.65 (forest land). Soil bulk density was ranged from 1.09 (forest land) to 1.28 (g/cm 3 ) (cultivated lands). Mean organic matter ranged from 1.38 (cultivated land) to 2.01% (forest land). Mean soil available phosphorus ranged from 2.23 (cultivated land) 4.30ppm (forest land). Mean total nitrogen ranged from 0.08% (cultivated land) to 0.11% (forest land). Mean soil exchangeable calcium and magnesium ranged from 8.16(cultivated land) to 13.44 cmol( + )/ kg (forest land) and 3.54(cultivated land) to 5.33 cmol( + )/ kg (forest land) respectively, while mean soil exchangeable potassium and sodium ranged from 0.28 (cultivated land) to 0.71 cmol( + )/ kg (forest land) and 0.36(cultivated land) to 0.75 cmol( + )/ kg (forest land) respectively. The CEC ranged from 7.63 (cultivated land) to 16.53 cmol( + )/ kg (forest land).Mean available iron, manganese, zinc and copper ranges from 37.08 to 37.71, 22.18 to 37.70, 4.79 to 6.39 and 1.88 to 2.49 respectively. All available micronutrients are higher in forest land and lower in cultivated land. The study pointed out that, the difference between different land use type on soil moisture content, pH, cation exchange capacity, organic carbon, total nitrogen, available phosphorus and exchangeable bases. From the present study, it could be concluded that the soil quality and health were maintained relatively under the forest land, whereas the influence on most soil parameters were negative on the cultivated land, indicating the need for employing integrated soil fertility management in sustainable manner to optimize and maintain the favorable soil physicochemical properties.

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

“…The lower bulk density under natural and mixed forest land use compared to others could be related to the higher organic matter content which increases the soil volume without affecting its weight. This is a result that is similar to findings in Takele et al (2015) and Fantaw and Abdu (2011). They reported that the lower bulk density in the soil under forest and the higher bulk density in soils under cultivated land were attributed to the differences in soil organic matter and less disturbances under forest land use than in the cultivated land.…”

Selected Physicochemical Properties of the Soils Under Different Land Uses in Some Areas of Ethiopia

“…The low clay in cultivated land's surface layers could be attributed to erosion removing clay off the surface selectively, meaning that cultivated land is more prone to erosion than nearby forest and grazing fields. Similarly, Lechisa et al, (2014) found that clay was the textural class of all land use types (Table 1), indicating that the parent material was identical. Clay content, on the other hand, varied greatly depending on the land use type.…”

“…There was no application of fertilizer use in the area, which could have influenced the pH of the soils. However, soil pH was found to be significantly changed across land use types by Lechisa et al, (2014). The pH of the soil varies from 5.65 to 4.88 depending on the land use type.…”

“…For example, continues cultivation rises bulk density resulting in decreasing of total porosity. Soils under cultivated land have much higher bulk density than soils under forest and grazing fields, according to Lechisa et al, (2014) and Mamo (2011). Similarly, Islam and Weil (2000 found that as the cultivation period increased, the bulk density increased significantly.…”

“…Overall, the reason for clay content varies in surface layers of among the land use types might be due to erosion selectively removes clay from the surface, cultivated land is more vulnerable to erosion and the effects of deforestation and farming practices. Teshome et al (2013) and Lechisa et al (2014) found that forest land had much greater silt content than cultivated and grazing land. This implies that cultivated land is more prone to erosion than nearby woodland and grazing fields.…”