ABSTRACT
Two models, the Universal Soil
Loss Equation (USLE) and the Soil Loss Estimation Model of the Southern Africa
Model (SLEMSA), were adopted to assess soil losses and identify the most
effective land use for mitigating erosion. The land use systems considered were
forest (FF), cassava plot (CP), grassland fallowed (GF), and oil palm
plantation (OP).The experimental design was a Balanced Replicated Fixed Design
(BRFD) under a two-factor factorial experiment where land use and soil depth
were the factors involved. Four
spots within a land use were randomly selected for sample collection. Within a
spot, disturbed (auger) and undisturbed samples were randomly collected from
four different points at two depths (0-15 and 15-30 cm) and replicated in four
different locations for a good spread across the state. A total of 256 sampling units were collected
and taken to the laboratory. Standard procedures were followed for
sample analysis, including rainfall, topography, erosion control measures, and
vegetation data generation. Data obtained were inputted into the USLE and
SLEMSA models for soil loss determination with analysis of variance for the
BRFD used for data analysis. Least significant difference at a 5% probability
level detected mean differences, while correlations, regressions, and Python
programming established relationships between soil properties and soil loss. A
T-test compared the two models, and principal component analysis (PCA)
identified key soil properties influencing land use-specific soil loss. Soil
under GF had the highest sand content (830.894 g/kg) but the lowest silt
(66.792 g/kg) and clay (103.542 g/kg) contents whereas FF soil had the lowest
sand content (743.683 g/kg) but the highest silt (86.075 g/kg) and clay
(173.398 g/kg) contents. Textural classes of the area varied ranging from loamy
sand to sandy loam. Soil organic matter (SOM) content in the area was generally
high with the soil of the FF land use containing the highest. Consequently, other
properties such as soil bulk density, total porosity, moisture characteristics
and aggregate stability also varied. The USLE prediction ranged from 0.610 to
14.943 t/ha/yr while SLEMSA prediction was from 3.031 to 23.928 t/ha/yr. The
two models indicated FF as the most effective in soil loss mitigation while PP
was the least, with rankings as FF > GF > CP > OP. Soils higher in
colloidal materials and with good vegetation cover had better stability and
thus resulted to lower soil loss as seen in FF.
The USLE model predicted lower soil loss with higher precision and
consistency than SLEMSA and thus more suited for the CPS soils of Akwa Ibom
State. PCA indicated that sand, silt, coarse sand, SOM, available water
content, field capacity, saturated hydraulic conductivity, pH, bulk density,
and total porosity were the important components influencing soil losses. The
study showed that FF and GF soils were the most effective in erosion control of
the CPS soil, indicating the impact of land use on soil loss. Land use practices
such as afforestation, plantation cropping and fallowing are recommended for
enhancing soil stability and regeneration of CP, GF and OP soils.
NDIFREKE, S (2024). Model-Based Prediction Of Soil Losses Under Different Land Uses Of The Coastal-Palin-Sand Soils Of Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria:- Udo, Ndifreke S. Repository.mouau.edu.ng: Retrieved Dec 24, 2024, from https://repository.mouau.edu.ng/work/view/model-based-prediction-of-soil-losses-under-different-land-uses-of-the-coastal-palin-sand-soils-of-akwa-ibom-state-nigeria-udo-ndifreke-s-7-2
STANISLAUS, NDIFREKE. "Model-Based Prediction Of Soil Losses Under Different Land Uses Of The Coastal-Palin-Sand Soils Of Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria:- Udo, Ndifreke S" Repository.mouau.edu.ng. Repository.mouau.edu.ng, 06 May. 2024, https://repository.mouau.edu.ng/work/view/model-based-prediction-of-soil-losses-under-different-land-uses-of-the-coastal-palin-sand-soils-of-akwa-ibom-state-nigeria-udo-ndifreke-s-7-2. Accessed 24 Dec. 2024.
STANISLAUS, NDIFREKE. "Model-Based Prediction Of Soil Losses Under Different Land Uses Of The Coastal-Palin-Sand Soils Of Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria:- Udo, Ndifreke S". Repository.mouau.edu.ng, Repository.mouau.edu.ng, 06 May. 2024. Web. 24 Dec. 2024. < https://repository.mouau.edu.ng/work/view/model-based-prediction-of-soil-losses-under-different-land-uses-of-the-coastal-palin-sand-soils-of-akwa-ibom-state-nigeria-udo-ndifreke-s-7-2 >.
STANISLAUS, NDIFREKE. "Model-Based Prediction Of Soil Losses Under Different Land Uses Of The Coastal-Palin-Sand Soils Of Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria:- Udo, Ndifreke S" Repository.mouau.edu.ng (2024). Accessed 24 Dec. 2024. https://repository.mouau.edu.ng/work/view/model-based-prediction-of-soil-losses-under-different-land-uses-of-the-coastal-palin-sand-soils-of-akwa-ibom-state-nigeria-udo-ndifreke-s-7-2