Assessing soil properties and providing information on their variability is critical to understanding the potential of soils and their response to agricultural management. This study investigated the variations in soil morphological, physical and chemical properties along a toposequence in Ipinu-Oju, Benue State. A total of 16 soil samples were collected along altitudinal transect ranging from 160m to 201m. The transect was divided in four slope positions: Crest, upper, middle, and toe slope positions, each with different floristic composition and structure. The collected soil samples were analyzed for morphological, physical and chemical properties using standard field and laboratory procedures. The laboratory results were then analyzed using ANOVA. The results showed a strong relationship between topography and certain soil properties. A transition from yellowish to grayish soil color was observed from the upper slope to the lower slope areas. In addition, soil depth and structure improved downslope. Topography significantly influenced chemical and physical properties, including sand, clay, silt, pH, total nitrogen, organic carbon and matter, available phosphorus, potassium, sodium, exchange acidity, cation exchange capacity, and base saturation. Based on the USDA Soil Taxonomy and the World Reference Base, soil units I, III, and IV were classified as Arenic Haplustalfs and Eutric Lixisols, while soil unit II was classified as Eutric Haplustalfs and Eutric Leptisols. These differences in soil characteristics not only affect crop selection, but also present unique management challenges. Upland soils face issues such as surface runoff, erosion and water retention as their main management problems, while lowland soils do not have significant management problems. Over all, this study highlights the importance of considering soil variability and the influence of topography on soil properties. Understanding these variations can help in making informed decisions regarding soil management and agricultural practices.
Published in | Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (Volume 12, Issue 6) |
DOI | 10.11648/j.aff.20231206.11 |
Page(s) | 172-179 |
Creative Commons |
This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited. |
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Copyright © The Author(s), 2023. Published by Science Publishing Group |
Topography, Topo Sequence, Soil Morphology, Soil Physical and Chemical Properties, Land Use, Soil Classification
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APA Style
Ogbu, P. O., Shaibu, I., Okwe, P. O. (2023). Effects of Topography on Soil Properties and Their Implications for Agricultural Land Use in Ipinu-Oju, Benue, Nigeria. Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, 12(6), 172-179. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.aff.20231206.11
ACS Style
Ogbu, P. O.; Shaibu, I.; Okwe, P. O. Effects of Topography on Soil Properties and Their Implications for Agricultural Land Use in Ipinu-Oju, Benue, Nigeria. Agric. For. Fish. 2023, 12(6), 172-179. doi: 10.11648/j.aff.20231206.11
AMA Style
Ogbu PO, Shaibu I, Okwe PO. Effects of Topography on Soil Properties and Their Implications for Agricultural Land Use in Ipinu-Oju, Benue, Nigeria. Agric For Fish. 2023;12(6):172-179. doi: 10.11648/j.aff.20231206.11
@article{10.11648/j.aff.20231206.11, author = {Peter Omenka Ogbu and Idoga Shaibu and Paul Ogbaji Okwe}, title = {Effects of Topography on Soil Properties and Their Implications for Agricultural Land Use in Ipinu-Oju, Benue, Nigeria}, journal = {Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries}, volume = {12}, number = {6}, pages = {172-179}, doi = {10.11648/j.aff.20231206.11}, url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.aff.20231206.11}, eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.aff.20231206.11}, abstract = {Assessing soil properties and providing information on their variability is critical to understanding the potential of soils and their response to agricultural management. This study investigated the variations in soil morphological, physical and chemical properties along a toposequence in Ipinu-Oju, Benue State. A total of 16 soil samples were collected along altitudinal transect ranging from 160m to 201m. The transect was divided in four slope positions: Crest, upper, middle, and toe slope positions, each with different floristic composition and structure. The collected soil samples were analyzed for morphological, physical and chemical properties using standard field and laboratory procedures. The laboratory results were then analyzed using ANOVA. The results showed a strong relationship between topography and certain soil properties. A transition from yellowish to grayish soil color was observed from the upper slope to the lower slope areas. In addition, soil depth and structure improved downslope. Topography significantly influenced chemical and physical properties, including sand, clay, silt, pH, total nitrogen, organic carbon and matter, available phosphorus, potassium, sodium, exchange acidity, cation exchange capacity, and base saturation. Based on the USDA Soil Taxonomy and the World Reference Base, soil units I, III, and IV were classified as Arenic Haplustalfs and Eutric Lixisols, while soil unit II was classified as Eutric Haplustalfs and Eutric Leptisols. These differences in soil characteristics not only affect crop selection, but also present unique management challenges. Upland soils face issues such as surface runoff, erosion and water retention as their main management problems, while lowland soils do not have significant management problems. Over all, this study highlights the importance of considering soil variability and the influence of topography on soil properties. Understanding these variations can help in making informed decisions regarding soil management and agricultural practices. }, year = {2023} }
TY - JOUR T1 - Effects of Topography on Soil Properties and Their Implications for Agricultural Land Use in Ipinu-Oju, Benue, Nigeria AU - Peter Omenka Ogbu AU - Idoga Shaibu AU - Paul Ogbaji Okwe Y1 - 2023/11/17 PY - 2023 N1 - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.aff.20231206.11 DO - 10.11648/j.aff.20231206.11 T2 - Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries JF - Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries JO - Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries SP - 172 EP - 179 PB - Science Publishing Group SN - 2328-5648 UR - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.aff.20231206.11 AB - Assessing soil properties and providing information on their variability is critical to understanding the potential of soils and their response to agricultural management. This study investigated the variations in soil morphological, physical and chemical properties along a toposequence in Ipinu-Oju, Benue State. A total of 16 soil samples were collected along altitudinal transect ranging from 160m to 201m. The transect was divided in four slope positions: Crest, upper, middle, and toe slope positions, each with different floristic composition and structure. The collected soil samples were analyzed for morphological, physical and chemical properties using standard field and laboratory procedures. The laboratory results were then analyzed using ANOVA. The results showed a strong relationship between topography and certain soil properties. A transition from yellowish to grayish soil color was observed from the upper slope to the lower slope areas. In addition, soil depth and structure improved downslope. Topography significantly influenced chemical and physical properties, including sand, clay, silt, pH, total nitrogen, organic carbon and matter, available phosphorus, potassium, sodium, exchange acidity, cation exchange capacity, and base saturation. Based on the USDA Soil Taxonomy and the World Reference Base, soil units I, III, and IV were classified as Arenic Haplustalfs and Eutric Lixisols, while soil unit II was classified as Eutric Haplustalfs and Eutric Leptisols. These differences in soil characteristics not only affect crop selection, but also present unique management challenges. Upland soils face issues such as surface runoff, erosion and water retention as their main management problems, while lowland soils do not have significant management problems. Over all, this study highlights the importance of considering soil variability and the influence of topography on soil properties. Understanding these variations can help in making informed decisions regarding soil management and agricultural practices. VL - 12 IS - 6 ER -