Abstract
BackgroundSoil quality, which can be inferred using indicators that interact synergistically, is affected by land use types and agricultural management practices. This study assessed the status of soil quality under three adjacent land uses (cultivated, grazing, and fallow) in Kersa subwatershed (622 ha). Soil samples were collected from the surface soil (0–20 cm depth) of the identified land uses with three replications and the soil quality parameters were analyzed. A minimum data set of soil quality indicators were selected from physical, chemical, and biological parameters using the literature review and expert opinion method. Linear scoring functions were used to give the unitless scores for the selected data sets, which were then integrated into a soil quality index (SQI).ResultsThe results revealed that bulk density, aggregate stability, pH, cation exchange capacity (CEC), available P, and soil organic carbon (SOC) had a significant difference in SQI among the different land uses. The soil quality indices were 0.69 for grazing land, 0.62 for cultivated land, and 0.59 for the fallow land. The SQI of all the land uses falls in the intermediate soil quality (0.55 < SQI < 0.70) class.ConclusionIn almost all the quality indicators assessed, the grazing land was superior to the cultivated and fallow lands. Therefore, implementing management practices that enhance soil quality like organic matter-controlled systems is imperative for sustainable agricultural production in the study area.
Highlights
Soil quality, which can be inferred using indicators that interact synergistically, is affected by land use types and agricultural management practices
The highest bulk density in the fallow land could be a reflection of the low clay and amount of organic matter content which could result in poor soil aggregation
Soil quality parameters are affected by several physicals, chemical, and biological parameters of the different land use types
Summary
Soil quality, which can be inferred using indicators that interact synergistically, is affected by land use types and agricultural management practices. Land use type and agricultural management can be considered as the major factors that affect soil quality as a result of the change it brings on the soil’s physical, chemical, and biological properties (Caravaca et al 2002). These changed properties, in turn, affect land productivity. Land degradation is a serious threat in Sub-Saharan Africa, where nearly 67 percent of the total land is degraded from light to a severe extent (Sileshi et al 2019) It is more severe in the highlands of Ethiopia where 85 percent of the population lives. Ethiopia is among the sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries with
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