Soil chemical characteristics at three slope positions in the smallholder’s Piper nigrum L. in Lhokseumawe City, Aceh Province

Abstract

The spatial variation of soil properties is significantly influenced by several factors. Slope position belongs to a component of topography as one soil-forming factor which would be influenced by soil development. The purpose of this study is to understand the pedogenesis of soil chemical characteristics on the diversity of slope positions in the smallholder’s Piper nigrum L. in Lhokseumawe City Aceh Province, start from October to December 2017. The research was conducted using the descriptive survey method and fifteen soil samples from three slope positions, i.e. upper slope position [33%], middle slope position [22%], and lower slope position [6.6%] were collected. The soil samples were analyzed using appropriate methods such as soil pH using pH meter, soil organic carbon using Walkley and Black, total nitrogen using Kjehdahl, available phosphorus using Bray II, and potassium exchangeable using Morgan. This research has studied the correlation between soil chemical properties and the differentiation of soil chemical characteristics at each slope position by the DMRT test method. The result showed that the slope position affected soil chemical properties. The slope position had affected water movement from the upper to the lower slope position and this process caused variation of soil chemical characteristic formation. The value of soil pH, soil organic carbon, total nitrogen, available phosphorus, and potassium exchangeable was higher in the lower slope position than those in the middle and upper slope positions.