TITLE:
Physicochemical Characteristics, Degradation Rate and Vulnerability Potential of Obudu Cattle Ranch Soils in Southeast Nigeria
AUTHORS:
A. U. Akpan-Idiok, K. I. Ofem
KEYWORDS:
Physicochemical Characteristics; Obudu Cattle Ranch; Soil Degradation; Vulnerability Potential
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Soil Science,
Vol.4 No.2,
February
15,
2014
ABSTRACT:
Obudu Cattle Ranch covers an area of 2400 hactares
at an altitude of 900 - 1500 m above mean sea level and is suitable for
cultivation of cucumber (Cucumis sativus),
tomato (Solanum lycopersicum), Irish
potato (Solanum tuberosum), spinach (Spinacia oleracea) cabbage (Brassica oleracea), lettuce (Lactuca sativa) because of its semitemperate
climate. Physicochemical characteristics, degradation rates and vulnerability
potential of the soils were studied. Eighteen composite soil samples (0 - 15
and 15 - 30 cm) were collected at interval of 500 m along North-South and
East-West transects in nine locations. The soils were characterized as follows:
texture of sandy loam for the surface and subsurface soils; pH(H2O) (4.7
- 5.7), organic carbon (4.9 - 74.8 gkg－1), total nitrogen (0.2 - 4.8
gkg－1), carbon-nitrogen ratio (14 - 25), available P (6.66 - 107.89
mgkg－1), effective cation exchange capacity (ECEC) (5.58 - 14.62
cmol·kg－1) and base saturation (49.37% - 85.28%); the surface soils
were generally higher in organic carbon, total nitrogen, available P and ECEC
than the subsurface. The Soil Degradation Rate (SDR)/ Vulnerability Potential
(Vp) weighted values of texture (3/3), soil pH(H2O) (4/2), organic
carbon (1/5) and base saturation (2/4) showed moderate to low susceptibility
of the soils to degradation or vulnerability. The soils could be managed by
liming, practicing crop rotation and using soil conservative measures.