Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-ndw9j Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-17T17:16:04.462Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Soil properties and mineralogy in relation to land use on a sedimentary toposequence in south-eastern Nigeria

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 March 2009

E. T. Eshett ,
J. A. I. Omueti  and
A. S. R. Juo
E. T. Eshett
Affiliation:
Soil Chemistry Division, International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, P. M. B. 5320, Ibadan, Nigeria
J. A. I. Omueti
Affiliation:
Soil Chemistry Division, International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, P. M. B. 5320, Ibadan, Nigeria
A. S. R. Juo
Affiliation:
Soil Chemistry Division, International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, P. M. B. 5320, Ibadan, Nigeria
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Summary

The mineralogy of the clay fraction (<2 μm) of nine soil samples representing three physiographic positions of a toposequence in Ochon, south-eastern Nigeria, was determined by transmission electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction.

Soils in the crest and middle slopes (pedons TE1 and TE2, respectively) of the toposequence, formed over fine-grained sandstone, were coarse-textured, well-drained and acidic and had low effective cation exchange capacity and percentage base saturation. Kaolinite, mica, quartz, goethite and gibbsite were the principal minerals identified in the clay fraction of these soils. Soils in the valley bottom (pedon TE3) formed over arenaceous shale were, on the other hand, fine-textured, poorly drained and weakly acidic with higher cation exchange capacity and percentage base saturation. Their clay fraction mineralogy was similar to that of the well-drained upland soils but additionally included feldspar and smectite/vermiculite mixed layer minerals.

Mixed cropping of yam, cassava, maize and other annuals under traditional methods was carried out on the drier, well-drained crest and upper slopes while sole cropping of lowland rice occurred in the poorly drained, more fertile valley-bottom site. The valley-bottom soils show greater potential for improvement in agricultural productivity under good management than the upland soils.

Type
Review
Information
The Journal of Agricultural Science , Volume 112 , Issue 3 , June 1989 , pp. 377 - 386
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1989

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Aba-Husayn, M. M., Dixon, J. R. & Lee, S. Y. (1980). Mineralogy of Saudi Arabian soils: southwestern region. Soil Science Society of America Journal 44 (3), 643–649.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Black, C. A., Evans, D. D., White, J. L., Ensminger, L. E. & Clark, F. E. (1965). Methods of Soil Analysis Part Two: Chemical and Microbiological Properties. Agronomy No. 9. American Society of Agronomy Inc., Madison, pp. 690.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Brown, G. (ed.) (1972). The X-ray Identification and Crystal Structure of Clay Minerals. Mineralogical Society of London.Google Scholar
Eshett, E. T. (1985). Soil characteristics and farming systems in Northern Cross River State of Nigeria. Ph. D. thesis, University of Ibadan, Nigeria.Google Scholar
Gallez, J., Juo, A. S. R., Herbillion, A. J. & Moormann, F. R. (1975). Clay mineralogy of selected soils in southern Nigeria. Soil Science Society of America Proceedings 39 (3), 577–585.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Grim, R. E. (1968). Clay Mineralogy, 2nd edn. International Series in the Earth and Planetary Sciences. New York: McGraw-Hill, 596 pp.Google Scholar
Jackson, M. L. (1964). Soil Chemical Analysis – Advanced Course. New York: Prentice Hall.Google Scholar
Jackson, M. L. (1969). Soil Chemical Analysis – Advanced Course, 2nd edn.Madison, U. S. A.: Department of Soil Science, University of Wisconsin.Google Scholar
Jungerius, P. D. & Levelt, T. W. (1964). Clay mineralogy of soils over sedimentary rocks in eastern Nigeria. Soil Science 97, 89–95.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kilmer, V. J. & Alexander, L. T. (1949). Methods of making mechanical analysis of soils. Soil Science 68, 15–24.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mukherjee, S. K. & Biswas, T. D. (1974). Mineralogy of Soil Clays and Clay Minerals. Indian Society of Soil Science, Bulletin no. 9.Google Scholar
Omueti, J. A. I. (1980). Sodium hypochlorite treatment for organic matter destruction in tropical soils of Nigeria. Soil Science Society of America Journal 44, 878–880.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rich, C. I. & Kunze, G. W. (Eds) (1964). Soil Clay Mineralogy: A Symposium. The University of North Carolina Press, Chapel Hill.Google Scholar
Udo, E. J. (1977). Clay mineralogy of five surface soils under different drainage conditions. Nigerian Journal of Science 11, 315–337.Google Scholar
Walkley, J. T. & Black, A. (1934). An examination of the Degtejareft method of determining soil organic matter and a proposal for modification of the chromic acid titration method. Soil Science 37, 29–38.CrossRefGoogle Scholar