Table 3 Location, classification and land use history of the 10 sites used for the study
From: Carbon storage in soils of Southeastern Nigeria under different management practices
Site Number | Location/Annual rainfall | Soil Classification | Land use history |
|---|---|---|---|
1 | Abakaliki I 6°19'N,8°06'E 2069 mm | Aquept Flood Plain | Conventionally-tilled with traditional hoes, planted with Cassava {Manihot esculenta}/vegetables (Amaranth {Amaranthus hybridus}, Okra {Albemoschus esculentus},Waterleaf {Talinum triangulare} )/maize {Zea mays} intercrop with 2-year fallow period in 10 years, no fertilization, crop residues not removed. |
2 | Enugu I 6°27'N,7°29'E 1792 mm | Typic Paleustult Midslope | Conventionally-tilled with traditional hoes, continuously-cropped with maize/cassava/yam {Dioscorea rotundata} intercrop for ten years. NPK 15:15:15 fertilizers used at low doses (30-50 kg ha-1), crop residues left in the field. |
3 | PortHarcourt 4°46'N,7°01E 2450 mm | Typic Paleustult Floodplain | Conventionally-tilled, unmulched, cropped to maize and cassava for 12 consecutive years, fertilized with low dose (30-50 kg ha-1) of NPK 15:15:15 fertilizer, crop residues left in the field. |
4 | Enugu II 06° 27'N,7°32'E 1792 mm | Typic paleustult Midslope | Artificial forest established by Forestry Department in 1962. Planted with Gmelina arborea and Tectona grandis (Teak). |
5 | Enugu III 06° 27'N,7°32'E 1792 mm | Typic paleustult Midslope | Adjacent land near the artificial forest cropped-continuously for 15 years with cassava, yam, pulses and vegetables in a mixed culture. No fertilization and crop residues not removed. |
6 | Ihe,Awgu I 06° 30'N,7°15'E 1752 mm | Typic paleudult Toeslope | Natural undisturbed forest (sacred land). Had existed for more than 80 years. People are forbidden entry. Hunting of animals/games and cutting of trees/fetching of firewood not allowed. |
7 | Enugu IV 06° 27'N,7°25'E 1750 mm | Typic Paleudult Midslope | Artificial grassland (golf course) established in 1934. Mainly made up of Paspalum notatum, Axonopus compressus and Cyperus rotundus. Regularly cut and fertilized with N:P:K 15:15:15 fertilizer. |
8 | Abakaliki II 6°04'N,8°65'E 2069 mm | Typic Haplaudult Crest | Artificial Gmelina arborea forest established 30 years ago. The alleys between the trees are currently cropped with different food crops(cocoyam, yam, cowpea, maize) by urban farmers. Municipal wastes used for fertilization, conventionally-tilled. |
9 | Nsukka, I 6°52'N,7°24'E 1700 mm | Typic Paleustult Footslope | University Research plot, fallowed for two years, conservation tillage, planted with maize and groundnut, fertilization with NPK 15:15:15 at 90 kg ha-1 and poultry droppings at 10 Mg ha-1 for three years. |
10 | Ihe,Awgu II 06° 30'N,7°05'E 1752 mm | Typic Paleudult Toeslope | Farmers plot, conventionally-tilled, planted with cassava/maize/vegetables (fluted pumpkins, cabbage, cowpea, Amaranth) with 2-year fallow interval, NPK 15:15:15 fertilizers used at low doses (30-50 kg ha-1), crop residues left in the field, farm managed as stated for 12 years. |