This study analyzed relationships between soil properties and food crop production in Ebonyi State of southeast Nigeria. Free survey was conducted after three zones (Agbaja, Akaeze and Ikwo) in the state were purposely selected for representation of the soil sampling. Two types of sampling were conducted; Auger sampling at 0-20 and 20-40 cm depths and soil profile sampling. Annual crop yield data on maize and cassava for the state from 1988 to 2017 were collected from Agriculture Development Program. Variations in properties among soil horizons were obtained using coefficient of variations while soil parameters were regressed against crop yields to establish their relationships. Results showed that fine sand, total sand, bulk density, total porosity, soil pH, and available phosphorus significantly (p = 0.05) differ from 0-20 cm and 20-40 cm depths. Also, cassava yield correlated negatively with base saturation, and organic matter at 0.05 probability level; with exchangeable Ca and Na at 0.01 probabilities level but correlated positively with bulk density and available water capacity at 0.01 and 0.05 probability levels, respectively. Similarly, maize yield correlated negatively with available phosphorus and total nitrogen at 0.05 probability level; and with total porosity and exchangeable Ca at 0.01 probability level; and then correlated positively with available water capacity, and bulk density, at 0.01 probability level; with coarse sand at 0.05 probability level. However, soils of Ebonyi State are fertile but some of the chemical properties are still low, therefore, it is paramount to improve the quality of the soil to achieve improved food security in the state.
This work was carried out in collaboration between all authors. Author KOEU designed the study and performed the remote sensing and geo statistic analysis. Authors MCI and GTA wrote the protocol and wrote the first draft of the manuscript. Author CCU reviewed and discussed further the implications of the result on the environment. Author IEO managed and reported various implications to the global climate and environmental sustainability. All authors read and approved the final manuscript Article Information
Climate change is an alarming global environmental change phenomena that is constituting a serious threat to natural, social, cultural, and human systems. Its associated risks require a wide range of policy responses and techniques at all levels from local to global. This study sought to evaluate the changes in climatic parameters over three decades as monitoring techniques in Okigwe, Imo State, Nigeria, based on evaluated land cover and temperature variation using Landsat 5 TM, Landsat 7 ETM+ and Landsat 8 ETM+ satellite data of 1986, 2003, and 2020 respectively. Precipitation data from 1990-2020 of the study area was used to evaluate rainfall variation as climatic change parameters over three decades. Results of the geospatial analysis indicates that climate change has become a fallout from developmental activities taking place in Okigwe, which obviously is impacting on all facets of human activities thereby militating against sustainable development. Implicitly, changes in built-up areas or surfaces significantly produced a corresponding effect in escalating urban heat in the city. This study recommends the enforcement of dequate land use planning via adopting green city planning techniques in infrastructural development.
The pollution of ambient air has long been revealed as the most fatal form of environmental pollution. The levels of air pollution vary from one location to another and from time to time. This study investigated the spatiotemporal distribution of air pollutants in Port Harcourt metropolis. Nine points in the study area were purposefully sampled within two pick-periods (8 am and 4 pm), based on high industrial clusters, high vehicular traffic, and rising human population density. The concentrations of PM2.5, PM10, CO, SO2, and NO2 were measured using a hand-held Gas analyser; Aerocet-531 Met One Instrument, Drager X-am 5000. A handheld Germin-300 GPS device analyzer to record the GPS coordinates of the sampling points which aided the data processing, to develop spatial interpolation maps in ArcMap. The results of air quality parameters were above the WHO and FMEnv air quality standards. PM 2.5 and PM10 have a maximum value of 159.23 and 378.39 respectively which is higher than the WHO and FMEnv Standard limits for 24 hours exposure. The recorded exceedance is 68.5ppb, 28.7ppb and 113.7ppb for SO2, NO2, and CO respectively, in the wet season. Also, 71.1ppb, 15.31ppb and 58.9 ppb for SO2, NO2, and CO respectively in the dry season, are higher than WHO and FMEnv limited. Based on these, it is recommended that the populace of Port Harcourt city should limit their exposure, especially in the dry season.
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