Nutrient flux in soils of flood prone forest areas of Yola-North Local Government Area, Adamawa State, Nigeria

Abstract

This study was conducted to compare physical and chemical properties of soils in flooded and upland forest areas of Yola-North LGA of Adamawa State as a measure of nutrient flux resulting from flooding. Two locations within the LGA (Jambutu and Runde-Baru) were selected and composite soil samples were collected in each location (flooded and upland forest areas) at depths of 0-30cm, 30-60cm and 60-90cm. Laboratory analysis was conducted to determine both the physical (sand, silt, clay, bulk density and porosity) and chemical (pH, EC, OC, TN, Av-P, Ca, Mg, Na, K, TEB, TEA, ECEC and PBS) properties of the soil samples. Multivariate Analysis of Variance (MANOVA) was used to test for significant difference, while Pearson Product Moment Correlation was used to establish relationship between physical and chemical properties of soils from the flooded and upland areas. The results from the comparative analysis showed that all physical properties except bulk density were significantly different (p<0.05) between upland and flooded forest soils. The assessment of chemical properties of the soil samples showed significant difference (p<0.05) only in OC, Av-P, Ca, K and TEB between upland and flooded areas, pH EC, TN, Mg, Na and ECEC shows no significant difference. Correlation analysis revealed that clay, bulk density and porosity correlated both positively and negatively between upland and flooded forest soil while silt correlates negatively in both areas. Also, OC, TN, Av-P, Ca, Mg, Na, K, TEB, TEA, ECEC and PBS correlated both positively and negatively between the two soils while EC correlated positively in flooded area and negatively in upland area. This indicated an unpredicted movement of nutrients where some are leached during flooding; some are added as deposits while some are unaffected by flood.