Selected Physicochemical Properties of the Soils Under Different Land Uses in Some Areas of Ethiopia

Abstract

Agriculture is the primary source of income for most developing countries, including Ethiopia. However, Ethiopian agriculture is under risk due to unwise use of land resources and changes in land use. In Ethiopia, land use changes such as conversion of natural forest to farming, open grazing, and homestead land are common. These activities have resulted in the degradation of agricultural soil quality and a decrease in land productivity, resulting in low agricultural production and food insecurity in the country. As a result, long-term advantages for environmental health and economic growth are provided through sustainable management of agricultural resources such as soil. As a result, Ethiopia has recently developed an interest in assessing the quality of soil resources. Understanding the impact of agro-ecosystem change on agricultural soil quality and long-term land production requires assessing soil physicochemical parameters and their implications on soil fertility. Thus, many studies have been conducted with regards to designated physicochemical properties of the soils under different land use types. Therefore, this review papers were aimed to assess selected physicochemical properties of the soils under different land use in some areas of Ethiopia. Different studies showed that soil physicochemical properties such as Soil texture (sand, silt, clay), Bulk density, Total porosity (%), OC, C: N ratio, TN, pH, CEC Ava-P, and Ava (EB: K⁺, Ca²⁺, and Mg²⁺), Ava (EX; Fe²⁺, Mn²⁺, Zn²⁺, Cu²⁺) were influenced by different land use systems. The findings of the various research revealed that the degree and direction of changes in soil attributes under various land uses reflect the long-term impact of humans on land resources, as well as the repercussions of expanding human and animal populations. In comparison to the neighboring forest and grazing area soils, the soil properties under farmed land indicated an overall trend in the direction of loss of fertility. In general, continuous cultivation has degraded greatest of the important soil physicochemical attributes of the area as compared to the uncultivated lands. Therefore, the studies have been showed that reducing the continues cultivation and the use of integrated soil fertility management could help to sustain current soil conditions and restore the country’s damaged soil qualities.

Keywords: land uses, soil fertility, soil physicochemical properties

DOI: 10.7176/JBAH/11-15-02

Publication date:August 31^st 2021