Different Land Use Patterns Influence on Soil Potentials for Carbon Storage

An experiment was conducted to evaluate the influence of different land use types on soil potentials for carbon storage in Teaching and Research Farm, University of Ibadan, Southwest Nigeria between May and September, 2021. Soil samples were collected from four land use types: Continuous arable cropping, pasture land, tree crop (oil palm) and secondary forest. The soil samples were collected randomly and at two depths, 0-15cm and 15-30cm. The data of the physical parameters and soil properties taken were subjected to Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and the means were separated using Least Significant Difference (LSD) at 5% level of significance. The results show that land use affects soil potentials to store carbon. The effect was compared based on organic matter which showed the trend of secondary forest > continuous arable cropping > pasture land > tree crop (oil palm) at both depths. In terms of organic matter (organic carbon) storage, secondary forest land use type gave the highest potential of soil organic carbon storage among all the land use types studied.