Changes in soil properties during long-term fallow and continuous cultivation after forest clearing in Nigeria

Juo, A. S. R.; Franzluebbers, Kathrin; Dabiri, Adenike; Ikhile, Benson

doi:10.1016/0167-8809(95)00635-4

Cited by 80 publications

(37 citation statements)

References 18 publications

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“…For example, a 13-year study in Nigeria showed non-linear trends in many indicators, with SOC and maize yields declining in the first seven years of the study (similar to [100]), and reaching a steady state for the remainder of the study (similar to [105]; Figure 1d). On the other hand, soil pH, exchangeable calcium and magnesium, and effective CEC all declined linearly with each year of continuous cultivation [96]; Figure 1a,c). A final study showed different conclusions about degradation could be drawn from different indicators.…”

Section: Longitudinal Studiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Non-linear declines in (unfertilized) maize yields, served as an indicator of soil degradation in many studies. Yields declined rapidly immediately following forest conversion to agriculture (first 14 years; [96,100]), but reached a steady state after 35 years [103], 77 years [102] and after 100 years of cultivation ( [106]; Figure 1d). …”

Section: Chronosequences (Space-for-time)mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, a growing body of research in SSA uses the same study design to examine land management practices that may improve soil conditions (aggrade soils) from a degraded baseline. Such practices include (but are not limited to) communal grazing [126,127], tree plantations [93,128], and fallowing [96,129].…”

Section: Positive Trajectories and Conclusionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The State of Soil Degradation in Sub-Saharan Africa: Baselines, Trajectories, and Solutions

et al. 2015

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Abstract:The primary cause of soil degradation in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is expansion and intensification of agriculture in efforts to feed its growing population. Effective solutions will support resilient systems, and must cut across agricultural, environmental, and socioeconomic objectives. While many studies compare and contrast the effects of different management practices on soil properties, soil degradation can only be evaluated within a specific temporal and spatial context using multiple indicators. The extent and rate of soil degradation in SSA is still under debate as there are no reliable data, just gross estimates. Nevertheless, certain soils are losing their ability to provide food and essential ecosystem services, and we know that soil fertility depletion is the primary cause. We synthesize data from studies that examined degradation in SSA at broad spatial and temporal scales and quantified multiple soil degradation indicators, and we found clear indications of degradation across multiple indicators. However, different indicators have different trajectories-pH and cation exchange capacity tend to decline linearly, and soil organic carbon and yields non-linearly. Future research should focus on how soil degradation in SSA leads to changes in ecosystem services, and how to manage these soils now and in the future. OPEN ACCESS

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Section: Longitudinal Studiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Chronosequences (Space-for-time)mentioning

confidence: 99%

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The State of Soil Degradation in Sub-Saharan Africa: Baselines, Trajectories, and Solutions

et al. 2015

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“…Few medium-and long-term studies of the performance of legume-cereal rotations have been conducted in West Africa (Swift et al 1994;Juo et al 1995;Tian et al 2005). There is also little information from multi-site trials comparing the performance of legume-cereal rotations (Buerkert et al 2002;Fofana et al 2005).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Assessment of nutrient deficiencies in maize in nutrient omission trials and long-term field experiments in the West African Savanna

et al. 2008

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Legume-maize rotation and maize nitrogen (N)-response trials were carried out simultaneously from 1998 to 2004 in two distinct agro-ecological environments of West Africa: the humid derived savannah (Ibadan) and the drier northern Guinea savannah (Zaria). In the N-response trial, maize was grown annually receiving urea N at 0, 30, 60, 90 and 120 kg N ha -1. In Ibadan, maize production increased with N fertilization, but mean annual grain yield declined over the course of the trial. In Zaria, no response to N treatments was observed initially, and an increase in the phosphorus (P) and sulphur (S) fertilizer application rate was required to increase yield across treatments and obtain a response to N applications, stressing the importance of non-N fertilizers in the savannah. In the rotation trial, a 2-year natural fallowmaize rotation was compared with maize rotated with different legume types: green manure, forage, dualpurpose, and grain legumes. The cultivation of some legume types resulted in a greater annual maize production relative to the fallow-maize combination and corresponding treatments in the N-response trial, while there was no gain in maize yield with other legume types. Large differences in the residual effects from legumes and fallow were also observed between sites, indicting a need for site-specific land management recommendations. In Ibadan, cultivation of maize after the forage legume (Stylosanthes guianensis) achieved the highest yield. The natural fallow-maize rotation had improved soil characteristics (Bray-I P, exchangeable potassium, calcium and magnesium) at the end of the trial relative to legume-maize rotations, and natural fallow resulted in higher maize yields than the green manure legume (Pueraria phaseoloides). In Zaria, maize following dual-purpose soybean achieved the highest mean yield. At both sites, variation in aboveground N and P dynamics of the legume and fallow vegetation could only partly explain the different residual effects on maize.

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“…A search in the literature has shown, however, that this inference is particularly linked with results emanating from organic matter and chemical fertility based studies (Young and Wright, 1979;Juo et al, 1995;Harris, 1999). The few soil physical studies carried out used changes in infiltration rate (Wilkinson, 1975;Wilkinson and Aina, 1976) and the aggregate stability test (Valentin et al, 2004) to infer Soil Physical Quality (SPQ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Changes in the Structure of a Nigerian Soil under Different Land Management Practices

Ogunwole¹,

Pires

Shehu

2015

Rev. Bras. Ciênc. Solo

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Quantification of soil physical quality (SPQ) and pore size distribution (PSD) can assist understanding of how changes in land management practices influence dynamics of soil structure, and this understanding could greatly improve the predictability of soil physical behavior and crop yield. The objectives of this study were to measure the SPQ index under two different land management practices (the continuous arable cropping system and natural bush fallow system), and contrast the effects of these practices on the structure of PSD using soil water retention data. Soil water retention curves obtained from a pressure chamber were fitted to van Genuchten's equation, setting m (= 1-1/n). Although values for soil bulk density were high, soils under the continuous arable cropping system had good SPQ, and maintained the capacity to support root development. However, soils under the natural bush fallow system had a worse structure than the continuous arable system, with restrictions in available water capacity. These two management systems had different PSDs. Results showed the inferiority of the natural bush fallow system with no traffic restriction (which is the common practice) in relation to the continuous arable cropping system in regard to physical quality and structure.

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Changes in soil properties during long-term fallow and continuous cultivation after forest clearing in Nigeria

Cited by 80 publications

References 18 publications

The State of Soil Degradation in Sub-Saharan Africa: Baselines, Trajectories, and Solutions

The State of Soil Degradation in Sub-Saharan Africa: Baselines, Trajectories, and Solutions

Assessment of nutrient deficiencies in maize in nutrient omission trials and long-term field experiments in the West African Savanna

Changes in the Structure of a Nigerian Soil under Different Land Management Practices

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