A Study on Physicochemical, Microbiological and Biochemical Properties of Wetland Soils in Eket, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria

The physicochemical, microbiological and biochemical characteristics of wetland soils in the Eket Local Government Area were studied between March 2019 to February 2021. Soil samples were collected at depths of 0-15cm and 15-30cm and analyzed for physicochemical, Microbiological and Biochemical properties. Laboratory data obtained were subjected to statistical analysis. The results showed that sand particles dominated the particle size distribution, of the entire wetland soils, while silt and clay were very low. Chemical analysis revealed that the mean pH obtained was 6.2 ± 0.2, 6.45 ± 0.07, and 6.60 ± 0.14 for Ntak Inyang, Etebi, and Ekpene Obo wetland soils respectively. Similarly, the highest organic matter was obtained in Ekpene Obo (6.96 ± 0.74%) followed by Ntak Inyang (6.58 ± 2.69%), while Etebi had the least (4.89 ± 1.77%). The highest total nitrogen was obtained in Ekpene Obo (0.17 ± 0.02%), followed by Ntak Inyang (0.16 ± 0.07%) and Etebi having the least with (0.12 ± 0.04%). Ntak Inyang wetland soils had the highest biomass carbon (1.58 ± 00 µg-1) followed by Etebi (1.37 ± 0.44 µg-1), and Ekpene Obo the least (1.01 ± 00 µg-1). The highest biomass of Nitrogen was obtained in soils of Ekpene Obo (0.4 ± 0.01 µg-1) followed by Ntak Inyang (0.02 ± 0.02 µg-1) while soils of Etebi had the least (0.03 ± 0.01 µg-1). The Pearson correlation matrix showed that moisture content had a strong and negative relationship with bulk density (r = -0.69), while base saturation correlates positively with total nitrogen (r=0.681). Urease had a strong, and positive relationship with catalase (r=0.734), whereas bacteria relate negatively with total N (r=-0.801), and B.S (r=-0.781), but positively with catalase (r=-0.698). The negative correlation observed in most of the soil properties is a result of the low decomposition of organic matter in wetland soils, because anaerobic bacteria operate at a much slower energy level than aerobic bacteria, decomposition proceeds much more slowly in anaerobic and oxygen-limited environments such as wetlands.