Fertility status, Degradation Rate and Vulnerability Potential of Soils of Sowa Chiefdom in Southern Sierra Leone
Journal Title: International Journal of Interdisciplinary and Multidisciplinary Studies (IJIMS) - Year 2014, Vol 2, Issue 1
Abstract
The present research was undertaken to study the fertility status of physicochemical properties and assess the degradation rate and vulnerability potential of soils of Sowa Chiefdom and suggest best management practices. Thirty-two composite samples from 0-20 and 20-40 cm were collected at fifteen locations and studied. The soils exhibited an irregular trend in particle size distribution with high proportion of sand in decreasing trend of sandy loam > sandy clay loam > loamy sand > sandy clay > clay. The soils were slightly acidic to moderately acidic in soil reaction (soil pH) with low to high organic carbon, medium to high nitrogen and low to high phosphorus. The content of exchangeable Ca2+ was medium to high, exchangeable Mg2+ was high, exchangeable Na+ was low to high and exchangeable K+ was low. The level of exchangeable acidity was low although the pH was slight to moderately acidic. The effective CEC values were within themedium to high range and the base saturation was high, thus indicating the potential availability of basic elements in the soils. The organic carbon, total nitrogen, available phosphorus, exchangeable Ca and Mg and base saturation were neither degraded nor vulnerable to degradation and therefore better soil quality indicators while exchangeable K was extremely degraded and highly vulnerable to degradation and therefore a poor soil quality indicator. The texture, soil pH, exchangeable Na and effective CEC showed moderate rate of degradation and vulnerability and these might be good soil quality indicators in the long term if the recommended soil management strategies are adopted.
Authors and Affiliations
Amara Denis M. K. , Momoh Edwin J. J.
Keywords
Related Articles
- EP ID EP30805
- DOI -
- Views 281
- Downloads 0
Eel Ichthyofauna of Assam in Folklore Therapeutic Practices
Over the past, plants and animals have been playing role in traditional therapeutic practices of the tribal and non tribal indigenous people of Assam. Ethnozoological study on eel fishes of Assam revealed the special si...
Notes on insect diversity of Indian Cycas species
The question of an analogue evolution of plant - insect interaction in gymnosperms has remained unanswered until recently, in spite of indications of insect pollination in the extant cycad genera. Earlier observations o...
Impact of peer group in the development and construction of masculinity
Peer group plays an important role in the construction of masculine identity or masculinity. The impact of peer group culture torments during adolescence where boys construct their notions of masculinity by participatin...
Body As The Site of Reform and Swaraj for Gandhi
The following paper attempts to understand the politics of and on the body by looking into the practices of Gandhi during the national movement. By focusing our attention on the body of Gandhi, we can be equipped better...
Does the variation in human development have an impact on countries economic growth? A study on relationship between inflow of FDI and Human development
There is great disparities in human capital- health, education, and skills around the world . Compared with developed countries, much of the developing world has lagged in its average levels of nutrition, health (as mea...