Soil Properties Along the Toposequence of an Inland Valley Watershed under Different Land Uses in the Ashanti Region of Ghana

Annan‐Afful, Ebenezer; Masunaga, Tsugiyuki; Wakatsuki, Toshiyuki

doi:10.1081/pln-200042199

Cited by 8 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 3 publications

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“…The high organic matter content and total nitrogen in the surface layers of P7-P8 and P11-P14 were attributed to concentration of vegetation litter and that decomposition processes are usually slow in hydromorphic soils. However, in waterlogging conditions as it is always experienced in valley systems, it reduces N, availability due to low mineralization rates and the risk of denitrification under alternating wet and dry conditions (Annan-Afful et al, 2005). These loss mechanisms act most severely in strongly alternating wet and dry environments such as the Besease Wetlands.…”

Section: Dynamics Of Soil Chemical Propertiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…wetlands) forming about 12% of the total land area. Inland valleys in Ghana have been documented to exhibit high potential for rice production, especially at the small-scale level, due to their suitability in terms of physical, chemical and biological properties (Annan-Afful et al, 2005;Nakamura et al, 2016). Wetlands have been endowed with specific structural and functional attribute performing major ecological roles in the biosphere *Corresponding author.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Assessment of physicochemical properties of Besease wetland soils, Ghana

Atta-Darkwa¹,

Asomaning²,

Agbeshie³

et al. 2020

Afr. J. Agric. Res.

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The shallow and erodible soils of low fertility uplands have led to farmers extending their cultivable areas to wetlands for optimal crop production since these systems have the potential for exploitation in the dry season. To ensure its sustainable use, the physicochemical and the hydrological characteristics of the valley bottom should be ascertained. Studies were conducted to assess the suitability of wetlands for crop production by analysing the physicochemical properties of Besease wetland soils. Soil samples were collected from specific sites and profile pits for physical and chemical analysis in the laboratory. Field experiments were also conducted for soil physical properties. Soil textural analysis revealed that the average texture of the Besease inland valley was sandy loam with the distribution of sand, silt and clay as 55.42, 35.04 and 9.50%, respectively. Bulk density and moisture content on the field increased with depth in all profiles. Results of hydraulic conductivity using the mini disk infiltrometer ranged from 2 to 88.3 cm/day. The infiltration rate on the studied wetland ranged from 0.02 to 0.78 cm/min. The pH, OC, TN and CEC of the soil profile distribution for site P11-P14 obtained ranged from 6.9-4.6, 4.69-0.19%, 0.2-0.01%, 9-2.6 meq/100 g down the horizon respectively. The study unraveled a sustained plant nutrient availability and elongation of water level ponding which will result in increased water storage under rice cultivation in the studied wetland.

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Section: Dynamics Of Soil Chemical Propertiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Assessment of physicochemical properties of Besease wetland soils, Ghana

Atta-Darkwa¹,

Asomaning²,

Agbeshie³

et al. 2020

Afr. J. Agric. Res.

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“…Orthic Acrisols and Xanthic Ferralsols are acid (pH < 5.5) low fertility status soils containing small amounts of plant available nutrients (particularly nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K)), with low cation exchange capacity (e.g., Ferralsols < 16 cmol kg −1 ) and base saturation (e.g., Acrisols < 50%). Drainage is related to topography, with poorly drained, flood prone clay to loamy sand textured Gleysols in valley bottoms, and well drained Acrisols and Ferralsols respectively on lower and upper slopes (Annan-Afful et al, 2004;Annan-Afful et al, 2005;Owusu-Bennoah et al, 2000).…”

Section: Agro-ecological Conditions In Ghanamentioning

confidence: 99%

Climate, soil and land-use based land suitability evaluation for oil palm production in Ghana

Rhebergen

Fairhurst²,

Zingore

et al. 2016

European Journal of Agronomy

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a b s t r a c tIn the past decade, oil palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.) has become the world's most important oil crop. The large demand for palm oil has resulted in a rapid expansion of oil palm cultivation across the globe. Because of the dwindling availability of land in Southeast Asia, most expansion of the industry is expected in Central and South America and sub-Saharan Africa, where land with suitable agro-ecological conditions is available. Using Ghana as a case study, a method for evaluating areas that are both suitable and available for oil palm production is presented. Our assessment used spatial data and GIS techniques, and showed that areas with suitable climatic conditions (annual average water deficit <400 mm) is about 20% greater than was previously identified. The observed differences are the result of using different methods to determine suitability, and climate change. A major climatic factor limiting suitability for oil palm production in Ghana is the annual water deficit, with the most suitable areas located in the rainforest and semi-deciduous forest zones with higher rainfall in southern Ghana. Opportunities for large-scale oil palm plantation development is limited, however, because of the lack of availability of large and contiguous tracts of land that are required for commercial plantation oil palm development. A feasible strategy for oil palm expansion is therefore smallholder production, which can make use of smaller parcels of land. Alternatively, oil palm production in Ghana can be increased by yield intensification on land already planted to oil palm. This can also reduce the requirement for further land clearance for new plantations to meet the growing demand for palm oil. Such assessments will be essential for guiding government policy makers and investors considering investments in oil palm development.

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“…Slash-and-burn agriculture is another widespread cause of forest change in tropical regions, and fragmented primeval forests that have evaded slash-andburn agriculture and have been untouched, but fragmented, are often embedded in secondary forests that have regenerated after the abandonment of slash-and-burn agriculture. In the abandoned forests, soil nutrients, vegetation cover, and biological production are completely altered (Giardina et al, 2000;Lawrence and Foster, 2002;Annan-Afful et al, 2005), and radical habitat alternations associated with slash-and-burn agriculture may affect the fauna. To date, however, data on these changes are very limited (Medellín and Equihua, 1998).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 98%