Sway of Slope Position on Soil Properties, Moisture Content Characteristics, and Soil Stability in Abak River Basin, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria

Abstract

Mechanisms acting in the retention of soil moisture and formation of soil aggregate is influence by slope position, these features meditates many soil physical, chemical and biological processes that facilitate stable soil structure. A study was conducted to assessed slope position influence and moisture content on soil properties and aggregate stability in Abak River Basin, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. Five locations were selected for the study, in each location, three slope positions were identified, the upper, middle and lower slopes, soil samples were collected from 0 – 30cm depth from each slope position, giving a total of fifteen soil samples and were taken to the laboratory for analyses. Results showed that all slope positions had moderate acidity. Bs increased down the slope, while Al did not follow a definite pattern along the different physiographic position of the Basin. Water stability aggregate for the three slope positions were not statistically different, but the seemingly least among the slope position was that of the upper slope.  Both dry and wet aggregate size distribution werer dominted by small mcro aggregate for all slope positions. Organic matter content to some extent lead to increase in aggregate stability with the most pronounced effect occurring in the middle slope. Adoption of management practices that geared towards increase in organic matter and moisture cotent of the soil for sustainable environment and crop growth are required for soil aggregate formation.