ABSTRACT

A study was carried out at Michael Okpara University of' Agriculture, Umudike on the effect of land use, spatial variability and soil depth on soil physical and chemical properties. The selected land uses were mixed cultivation, .vegetable land use, forest and plantation land sue. In each land use, five sampling points A, B, C, D, and E indicating spatial variability with depth and average distance of about 20m were sampled at two depth (0-20cm and 20-40cm) using core and auger samplers. The parameters tested were aggregate stability, organic carbon, pH, av liable phosphorus, Exchangeable acidity, CEC, bulk density and saturated hydraulic conductivity. Results showed that bulk density, aggregate stability and Ksat were significantly different under difterent land use at P<0.Ol. Correlation between organic carbon and aggregate stability was low and positive (r=0.029) but not statistically significant. Available phosphorus and bulk density were high on mixed and vegetable farm compare to other land use and showed irregular trend with regards to spatial variability an I depth. Exchangeable acidity was low in mixed and vegetable farm compared to plantation and forestland use