Abstract

 
 
 The effect of north and south aspects (NA and SA) and positions viz upper (US), middle (MS) and lower (LS) on soil physical quality from 2000 to 2020 was evaluated at the University of Uyo Teaching & Research Farm, to identify management factors at the Farm. Results showed that coarse sand increased while clay content decreased significantly (p < 0.05) and soil textural class was loamy sand on slope aspects and positions. Soil bulk density and total porosity were similar on the slope aspects and positions. Saturated hydraulic conductivity was significantly (p < 0.05) higher on SA (10.6 cm h–1) than NA (3.1 cm h–1) but declined by 93.03% and 52.47%, respectively in 20 years. Soil organic carbon, water-stable aggregates, mean-weight diameter of soil aggregates and structural index decreased by 14.81% and 38.33%, 60.53% and 55.53%, 31.26% and 21.71%, and 48.60% and 69.0%, respectively in NA and SA within the 20-year period. One minute infiltration rate was similar on NA and SA, while final infiltration rate, cumulative infiltration, sorptivity and transmissivity were significantly (p < 0.05) different; these soil hydraulic properties decreased in NA and SA by 83.0% and 86.43%, 52.63% and 14.29%, 81.53% and 63.9%, 95.0% and 85.63% and 90.42% and 96.11%, respectively on the aspects after the 20 years. Slope aspects and positions were generally similar in their effects on soil physical quality attributes, most of which were degraded after the 20 years. Principal component analysis (PCA) identified seven soil quality management factors namely (1) water intake, (2) soil texture, (3) soil pore space, (4) and (6) Fe and Al oxide, and (5) and (7) soil structural stability factors that could be used to improve and conserve the soil and water for increases in crop production on the farm.
 
 
Highlights
Knowledge of soil physical quality (SPQ) attributes is important in developing stable and viable soil management practices that will conserve the soil resource base and its properties and processes and functions
Effects of Slope Aspect on Soil Properties Particle-size distribution The results show that particle-size fractions were similar on north aspect (NA) and south aspect (SA) but dominated by total sand > 85% and > 75%, respectively in the year 2020 (Table 1)
The study evaluated the effect of slope aspects and positions on soil physical quality (SPQ) at the University of Uyo Teaching and Research Farm over a 20-year period and proffered management factors for sustainable crop production on the Farm
Summary
Knowledge of soil physical quality (SPQ) attributes is important in developing stable and viable soil management practices that will conserve the soil resource base and its properties and processes and functions. Soil quality implies other concepts such as the sustained capability of a soil to accept, store, and recycle water, nutrients and energy. It is a unique balance and interaction of its physical, chemical and biological components (Karlin et al, 1997; Herrick et al, 2002; Aparicio and Costa, 2007). Soil quality is dynamic and often assessed based on soil function (Doran and Parkin, 1996), to ascertain whether it is improving, stable or declining with soil use This is because it is deemed important for the assessment of the extent of land degradation or amelioration, and for identifying management practices for sustainable land use. Good SPQ occurs when soils exhibit the absence of degradative symptoms such as poor water infiltration, which reflect poor soil structure
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