Spatial Variability and Status of Selected Physico-Chemical Properties of Soil in Different Land Use Types: The Case of Kiramu District, East Wollega Zone, Oromia

Abstract

Determining spatial variability and status of selected soil properties is important for the evaluation of agricultural land management practices and planning of sustainable soil management of specific land uses types. This research work was carried out in Kiramu district of Oromia Region, western Ethiopia to investigate spatial variability and status of selected physico-chemical properties of soils under different land uses. The natural forestland was used as control group to assess status of soil properties by comparing with the cultivated land, which was further stratified in to mid high land and semiarid land based on topography and climate. Representative soil samples (0-30)cm depth were collected randomly from each land uses and analyzed for the selected soil physico-chemical properties., The particle size distribution sand was the dominant fraction in all of the soil of the land uses and sand, silt, clay, bulk density and soil moisture content ranged from 51 to 65%, 15 to 23%, 18 to 28%, 0.96 to 1.38 g cm^-3and 5.28 to 17.95%, respectively. The soil pH varies from slightly acidic to strongly acidic (6.09 to 5.19, exchangeable Ca, Mg, K and Na respectively ranged from (6.61 to 13.98cmol (+) kg^-1), (2.67 to 6.30cmol (+)kg^-1), (0.27to 1.14cmol(+) kg^-1)and  (0.03 to 0.13cmol(+) kg^-1). Moderate to very high CEC (18.30 to 49.09cmol(+) kg^-1), low to moderate PBS (28.52 to 57.33%), low to high in OM (2.24 to 7.38%) and total N (0.11 to 0.37%), very low to low, Available P (2.35 to4.21) ppm and Available(6.78 to 18.06) ppm were recorded. Exchangeable acidity ranged from 0.07 to 1.41 while soil C: N ranged from 11.61 to 11.63. The coefficient variability of soil properties among the land use type were more pronounced in chemical properties than in physical properties. The spatial variability of soil properties indicates that they were strongly affected by natural and anthropogenic factors as well as soil management practices. It was recommended that there is a need for appropriate interventions and special attention to improve on land management practices for sustainable productivity of soils in different land use types in present study area.