EVALUATION OF SOIL QUALITY UNDER DIFFERENT LAND USE TYPES IN THE COASTAL PLAIN SANDS OF NIGER DELTA

The effect of different land use types (fallow land, continuous cropping and mono cropping) on soil quality on soils derived from coastal plain sand of Niger Delta Region of Nigeria were evaluated. The study was carried out at Choba, Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State, four profiles were dug, one in each of the land use types in the study area replicated three times, total of sixty-nine soil samples were subjected to laboratory analysis. The sand fraction dominated the particle size distribution followed by clay and silt, the highest silt to clay ratio of 0.9 was recorded in the mono cropping land use type. Generally, the soil chemical properties were significantly (p<0.05) influenced by the different land use in the study area. The soil degradation rating and vulnerability potential, the soil have potential for degradation. The soil pH (SDR=1;Vp=5) were of good quality across the land use types. The total nitrogen and total organic carbon contents for forest and fallow land are of good quality , SDR=1;Vp =5 , but for continuous and mono cropping, the values are SDR =2; Vp = 4 , SDR = 3; Vp = 3 for total nitrogen, SDR= 3; Vp =3 , SDR =3; Vp =3 are of poor quality, The exchangeable bases (Calcium, Potassium and Magnesium) had SDR 5; Vp=2, SDR 3; Vp=3, SDR 4; Vp=2 for for fallow land, SDR 5; Vp=1, SDR 3; Vp=3, SDR 5; Vp=1 for continuous cropping, SDR 5; Vp=2, SDR 3; Vp=3, SDR 5; Vp=3 for forest and SDR 5; Vp=2, SDR 3; Vp=3, SDR 5; Vp=1 for mono cropping. The study indicated that soil quality of continuous and monocropping was adversely affected in terms organic carbon and nitrogen stock, also practices that encourages reforestation should be championed in the study area as this will eventually improve the carbon and nitrogen stocks and Technical support should be provided to the end-user for effective management of soil resources.