Original scientific paper
Morphology, Organic Carbon and Dissolved Nutrients in Groundwater Table in Two Benchmark Wetlands Sites in Nigeria
Adesola Olutayo Olaleye
; Department of Soil Science and Resource Conservation, The National University of Lesotho, PO 180 Roma, Lesotho
Ayoade Olayiwola Ogunkunle
; Department of Agronomy, University of Ibadan, Oyo, Nigeria
Baj Nath Singh
; Birsa Agricultural University, Kanke Ranchi, Jharkhand, India
Gabriel Emiola Akinbola
; Department of Agronomy, University of Ibadan, Oyo, Nigeria
James Obuh
; Department of Agricultural Economics and Extension, The National University of Lesotho, PO 180 Roma, Lesotho
Abstract
Wetland soils in two benchmark sites located in the tall/grass land savanna (Edozhigi) and in the Rain Forest (Ibadan) were selected in order to study the soil morphological characteristics, organic carbon contents, and the nutrient dynamics (P, Ca, Mg, Fe, and NH4-N) in the ground water table when rice was planted. Morphologically these soils are gleyed, mottled, with a hue of 10 YR, and low chroma that reflects poor drainage (i.e. aquic soil moisture regime). The soils are deep; more than 1.20 m in depth. The soil organic carbon was high in the surface soils (between 0.6 and 2.15%) and fluctuated irregularly with depth. In addition, the ground water table fluctuated between 40-80 cm depth within all the soils at both sites. Following soil submergence, water soluble P, Ca, Mg, Fe, and NH4-H increased in the first week and began to decline as from the 56 – 70 days after transplanting (DAT) which coincided with the tillering stage of rice plants. The Nitrate-N concentration was very low (<4 mg/l) at both sites. This flooding during the rainy seasons would benefit rice plants and the high organic carbon contents in the soils could be a substantial factor in the maintenance of these soils for the cultivation of arable crops during the dry seasons.
Keywords
Wetlands; ground water table; nutrient; dynamics & morphology
Hrčak ID:
35768
URI
Publication date:
26.3.2009.
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