ABSTRACT

Information on soil characteristics and terrain form is essential in the description and mapping of soils. Thus information on the soil of lkot-Ekpene area is used for this study, to characterize representative soil within identifled mapping units and to produce a soil map of the study area. Topographic maps oF  scalel: 1000 and colour aerial photographs at a scale of 1:7000 were used to obtain required information concerning the study area. Tracing out unit boundaries using the contrast method carried out visual analyses of the air photographs. The main interpretation criteria were terrain feature and vegetation. A total of 8 pedons were prepared and sampled using the USDA guidelines. The fieldwork also involved an inventory of landform, i.e., topography, slope and vegetation/land use. Other field observations recorded include roots, soil texture and, organic matter. Clay content of the soil increased with increase in depth of soil profiles, while total sands showed the reverse trend. Exchangeable basic cations were found to have low values in the soils in at I the profiles. Total nitrogen is less than 0.20 in all the pits. Exchangeable potassium did not exceed 0.30cmolkg in all. the pits, while ECEC ranged from 3.50 to 12.05.There was also a general decrease in value of organic components from the top to the bottom of the profiles. The soils were characterized as Uclic Kadiustalfs (MU 1) Kandic Paleustalfs (MU 2) and Oxic Hapleustalfs (MU 3).