Influences of area closure on soil physicochemical properties in Gida Ayana District, East Wollega Zone, Oromia, Ethiopia

The purpose of the research was to assess the influence of area closure on soil physico-chemical properties. The differences between the closed and non-enclosed were compared. Soil samples were collected from demarcated study sites using an auger and core sampler at 20 cm soil depth in a zigzag sampling method from one hectare of closed areas (seven years old) and the same size of non-enclosed (free grazing) having similar agroecological conditions and topography. A total of 40 soil samples (20 for each site) were collected and combined into 10 soil composites and 6 soil core samples were taken to the laboratory for soil physico-chemical property analysis. The results indicated that mean values of soil physico-chemical properties of closed area is grater in organic carbon (5.56%) than non-enclosed (3.16%) ,and total nitrogen 0,48% and 0.27% in closed and non-enclosed,,respectively, Similarly, (moisture content (MC), available P, Organic matter(OM), CEC, EC Na+, Ca2+, K+, Mg2+),caly and silt content had higher mean values in the closed area, with significant differences observed ( p < 0.05), whereas pH and sand content were not statistical different between the closed and open areas ( P > 0.05). The overall findings suggest that area closure is an effective strategy for improving soil physico-chemical properties.