Influence of land use types on the distribution of selected soil properties in tropical soils of the Coastal Savanna zone

Globally, efforts are being made to identify land use types that could potentially improve carbon sequestration to mitigate climate change and global warming and ensure sustainable agriculture. The study was conducted at the University of Cape Coast Teaching and Research Farm to evaluate the influence of different land use types on the distribution of SOC at different soil depths. A stratified random sampling technique was used to collect a total of 180 soil samples at 0-15 cm, 15-30 cm and 30-45 cm depths from arable, fallow, pasture and plantation fields, covering about 24.52 ha. The physico-chemical properties of the soil samples were determined using standard laboratory methods and the data generated was analysed using Minitab 19. The results showed that land use systems significantly (p < 0.05) affected the distribution of the physico-chemical properties of the soil. The SOC content under the different land use types was in the order; of plantation (2.57%) > arable (1.99%) > pasture (1.55%) > fallow (1.14%). The plantation field significantly (p < 0.05) had higher SOC compared to the other land use types and that could be adopted as a better carbon store that can help in mitigating climate change. The mean values of SOC content and most of the other physico-chemical properties determined were generally concentrated in the topsoil (0-15 cm depth) but decreased with depth, so managing these fields properly can equally improve the availability of these nutrients towards sustainable agriculture.

Automated summary

Efforts are being made globally to identify land use types that can improve carbon sequestration and ensure sustainable agriculture. A study conducted at the University of Cape Coast Teaching and Research Farm examined the influence of different land use types on soil properties. The results showed that the plantation field had the highest organic carbon content and could be adopted as a better carbon store for mitigating climate change.