Impacts of Land Use on Selected Physicochemical Properties of Soils of Abobo Area, Western Ethiopia

Assessing land use-induced changes in soil properties are essential for addressing issues of agro-ecosystem transformation and sustainable land productivity. In view of this, a study was conducted to assess the impact of land use/land cover on the physicochemical properties of soils of Abobo area, western Ethiopia. Three adjacent land use types, namely forest, grazing and cultivated lands each falling under four land mapping units (1Ac, 1Bc, 2Cc and 3Cl) were considered for the study. A total of 40 random soil samples (0-20 cm depth) were collected to make three composite samples for each land use type across the land mapping units and analyzed for selected soil physical and chemical properties. The results of the study, on one hand, revealed that soil OM, total N, CEC, PBS and available micronutrients (Fe, Mn, Zn and Cu) contents of the cultivated land was significantly (P < 0.001) lower than the adjacent forest land. For instance, soil OM, total N, CEC, PBS, exchangeable Mg and available micronutrients (Mn, Zn and Cu) contents of cultivated land was significantly lower than the adjacent forest land by 32.98, 33.33, 16.16, 17.81, 21.88, 29.47, 40.05 and 53.92%, respectively. On the other hand, the results of the study revealed that exchangeable cations (Mg, K and Na), PBS and available micronutrients (Fe, Mn, Zn and Cu) contents of the gazing land was significantly (P < 0.001) lower than the adjacent forest land. However, significant differences were not observed between the forests and grazing lands in soil OM, total N, CEC and available P. From the present study, it could be concluded that the soil quality and health were maintained relatively under the forest, whereas the influence on most parameters were negative on the soils of the cultivated land, indicating the need for employing integrated soil fertility management in sustainable manner to optimize and maintain the favorable soil physicochemical properties.