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Soil structure of an Oxisol as influenced by land use systems in the forest margin zone of Southern Cameroon
Abstract
Soil structure is the key for controlling soil quality. To assess changes in soil structure and its related indices under different land-use systems, an on-farm investigation was carried out on an Oxisol of Southern Province of Cameroon. Six land-use systems (LUS) consisting of a primary forest, a 30-year old secondary forest, a 25-year old cocoa field, a 15-year old natural fallow, a 3- year old Chromolaena odorata fallow and a 2-month old groundnut (Arachis hypogea) field were tested. Soil samples were collected at 0-5 and 5-10 cm depths and were used to determine particle size distribution (hydrometer method), bulk density and aggregate
stability. Soil resistance to penetrometer was measured at the same depths in the field using a hand penetrometer. It was found that the primary forest and the cocoa field were associated with highest clay
contents (74.6 and 52.0%, respectively) compared to other LUS. However, bulk density was significantly higher under cocoa field (1.09-1.26 g.cm-3) as compared to primary forest (0.72-0.89 g.cm-3). Soil resistance to
penetrometer was the lowest under forests (1.2 - 5.2 bars) as compared to cropped fields (9 -12.5 bars) at 0-5 cm depth. Similar trend was observed at 5-10 cm depth. The proportion of aggregates less than 2 mm in
diameter was the least under primary forest (27%) as compared to groundnut field (52%). In contrast, soil aggregates under primary forest and cocoa field were more stable, with the highest mean weight diameter
(MWD) of 3.37 and 3.00 mm, respectively.
Keywords: Cameroon, humid forest, land use systems, Oxisol, soil structure, structural stability.
stability. Soil resistance to penetrometer was measured at the same depths in the field using a hand penetrometer. It was found that the primary forest and the cocoa field were associated with highest clay
contents (74.6 and 52.0%, respectively) compared to other LUS. However, bulk density was significantly higher under cocoa field (1.09-1.26 g.cm-3) as compared to primary forest (0.72-0.89 g.cm-3). Soil resistance to
penetrometer was the lowest under forests (1.2 - 5.2 bars) as compared to cropped fields (9 -12.5 bars) at 0-5 cm depth. Similar trend was observed at 5-10 cm depth. The proportion of aggregates less than 2 mm in
diameter was the least under primary forest (27%) as compared to groundnut field (52%). In contrast, soil aggregates under primary forest and cocoa field were more stable, with the highest mean weight diameter
(MWD) of 3.37 and 3.00 mm, respectively.
Keywords: Cameroon, humid forest, land use systems, Oxisol, soil structure, structural stability.
