Characteristics and Classification of Soils Developed Over Coastal Plain Sand and Shale Parent Material in Abia State Nigeria

Abstract

A semi-detailed soil survey of the land of Ikwuano Local Government Area Abia State South East Nigeria was made with the aid of the digitized map. Pedons in the identified mapping units were sampled and studied for their morphology, physical and chemical properties (e.g. soil colour, texture, pH, CEC, %OC, base saturation). Soils texture ranged between loamy sand/sandy loam at the A/Ap horizon and sandy clay loam/clay in the B horizon. There was a general clay increase with depth in most of the profiles. The soils were acidic, with pH range of 4.5 - 5.7. Cation exchange capacities of the soils ranged between 2.48 and 27.64 Cmol/kg soil. Base saturation of the soils ranged from 15.4 - 86.3%. Organic carbon ranged between 1.6 – 29.6 g/kg soil. The soils at the order level were classified as Inceptisols and at the series level were classified as Ahiara series.