Research Article
Effects of Land Uses on Soil Quality Indicators: The Case of Geshy Subcatchment, Gojeb River Catchment, Ethiopia
Table 2
Soil physical quality indicators in relation to the land use and soil depths (mean ± SE).
| SQI | Depth (cm) | Land uses | Forest land | Cultivation land | Grazing land | Overall |
| Sand (%) | 0–20 | 28.78 (±1.427) | 27.89 (±1.427) | 33.11(±1.427) | 29.93 (±0.824)a | 20–40 | 26.56 (±1.149) | 23.33 (±1.149) | 26.67 (±1.149) | 25.52 (±0.664)b | Overall | 27.67 (±0.922)ab | 25.61 (±0.784)b | 29.89 (±1.194)a | |
| Silt (%) | 0–20 | 27.78 (±1.883) | 34.67 (±1.883) | 30.33 (±1.883) | 30.96 (±1.087)a | 20–40 | 26.22 (±1.856) | 24.34 (±1.856) | 28.00 (±1.856) | 26.18 (±1.072)b | Overall | 27.05 (±0.868)a | 29.50 (±1.744)a | 29.17 (±1.548)a | |
| Clay (%) | 0–20 | 43.33 (±2.262) | 37.44(±2.262) | 36.56 (±2.262) | 39.11 (±1.306)b | 20–40 | 47.22 (±2.222) | 52.33 (±2.222) | 45.33 (±2.222) | 48.30 (±1.283)a | Overall | 45.28 (±1.425)a | 44.89 (±2.378)a | 40.94 (±1.735)a | |
| Textural classes | 0–20 | Clay | Clay loam | Clay loam | Clay loam | 20–40 | Clay | Clay | Clay | Clay | Overall | Clay | Clay | Clay | |
| Bd (g/cm3) | 0–20 | 1.07 (±0.033) | 1.18 (±0.031) | 1.23 (±0.031) | 1.16 (±0.019)b | 20–40 | 1.25 (±0.040) | 1.22 (±0.040) | 1.34 (±0.040) | 1.27 (±0.018)a | Overall | 1.16 (±0.033)b | 1.20 (±0.020)b | 1.28 (±0.026)a | |
| VSWC (%) | 0–20 | 37.71 (±2.665) | 28.10 (±2.665) | 30.62(±2.623) | 32.14 (±1.515)b | 20–40 | 48.28 (±2.687) | 44.33 (±2.687) | 43.49 (±2.687) | 45.39 (±1.515)a | Overall | 42.99 (±2.760)b | 36.22 (±2.187)b | 37.06 (±2.337)b | |
| TP (%) | 0–20 | 59.61 (±1.159) | 55.46 (±1.130) | 53.76 (±1.160) | 56.27 (±0.652)a | 20–40 | 52.86 (±1.159) | 53.79 (±1.248) | 49.30 (±1.159) | 51.98 (±0.721)b | Overall | 56.27 (±1.285)a | 54.62 (±0.582)a | 51.53 (±0.994)b | |
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Means within rows and columns followed by different letters are significantly different ( ) with respect to land use and soil depths. |