Effect of Land Use Types and Soil Depth on Selected Soil Physicochemical Properties in Sidama Regional State, Southern Ethiopia

Assessing the influence of land use on soil physic chemical properties is crucial for developing sustainable land management strategies. This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of different land uses and soil depth on selected soil properties in three randomly selected sites of Sidama regional state. 54 composite soil samples were collected from three land uses (cultivated land, enset and forest) at two soil depths (0-20cm and 20-40cm). In addition, undisturbed soil samples were collected using a core sampler to assess the bulk density. Laboratory analyses were conducted for selected soil properties following standard procedures. The results of the study revealed that land use and soil depth significantly influenced soil properties. Except particle size distribution, all measured soil properties were significantly influenced by land use types. Bulk density, total nitrogen and available phosphorus were found to be influenced by soil depth. Enset had the highest mean values for available phosphorus, total nitrogen, cation exchange capacity, while cultivated land had the lowest value for all soil properties excluding bulk density. The highest value of all soil properties under enset land use might be attributed to farmer’s practice of frequent application of manure and household refuses. Bulk density and clay content were increased with soil depth while sand, silt, pH, Av.P, total nitrogen was decreased with soil depth. The highest value of bulk density and lowest value of other measured soil parameters were might be attributed to frequent tillage without organic input application. This study indicated that the cultivation of land continuously without proper management leads to the deterioration of soil properties. From this study, it can be concluded that conversion of forest land to cultivated land can lead to soil fertility degradation. Therefore, continuous cultivation needs the application of organic amendments in combination with inorganic fertilizer for sustainable soil management.