An Assessment of Spatial Variations of Some Soil Properties under Different Land Uses in South-Western Nigeria

Land use and soil management affect the distribution of soil properties thereby resulting in changes in the fertility status. Soil physical and chemical properties on the surface (0-30 cm) of five land uses (cassava/maize, oil palm, cowpea, secondary forest and building site) on a sandy loam Alfisol (Typic paleudalf) were assessed for spatial variations. All the land uses differed significantly (P<0.01) from each other in at least three properties. Cassava/maize intercrop and secondary forest differed in thirteen properties; cassava/maize and oil palm in seven and cassava/maize and cowpea in five indicating differential removal variability among land use types. In terms of number of soil properties with high variability (CV > 35%), the order was cassava/maize (1), oil palm (2), building site (5) > secondary forest (4) > cowpea (3). The study established that different land uses influence the soil differently within the same soil class. Therefore, this must be taken into consideration in order to reduce soil fertility decline and enhance proper soil management. There must therefore, be a careful choice of appropriate use of land if we are to optimise production since loss of soil and fertility status may be difficult to replace in one’s lifetime