SOIL DEGRADATION AND NUTRIENT DYNAMICS IN SOILS UNDER CONTINUOUS RICE PRODUCTION IN SEASONAL WETLAND ECOSYSTEMS OF ANAMBRA STATE, NIGERIA

Authors

  • Maduabuchi Johnbosco Okafor
    Nnamdi Azikiwe University Awka
  • Ikechukwu Alloysius Nweke
    Chukwuemeka Odimegwu Ojukwu University, Anambra State
  • Leonard Ndubuisi Nsoanya
    Chukwuemeka Odimegwu Ojukwu University, Anambra State

Keywords:

Agrochemicals, Nutrient dynamics, Rice farming, Soil degradation, Wetland ecosystems

Abstract

This study assessed soil degradation and nutrient dynamics in seasonal wetland ecosystems under continuous rice cultivation in Atani and Odekpe, Anambra State, Nigeria. Soil samples were collected from rice fields and adjacent 5-year fallow (control) soils at two depths (0-15cm and 15-30 cm), and analyzed for selected soil physicochemical properties. Results showed high bulk density in the rice field (2.01 Mg/m3 at Atani), reduced organic carbon (1.07% at 15 30 cm in Odekpe), and high cadmium levels (0.38 mg/kg at 15-30 cm in Odekpe rice field). The soils showed moderate acidity across locations with pH values ranging from 5,45 to 6.00. The soil degradation index (SDI), computed as the weighted sum of normalized scores for eight degradation-sensitive parameters, ranged from 0.231 (Odekpe control at 15-30 cm depth) to 0.438 (Odekpe control at 0-15 cm depth). Rice fields showed inconsistent SDI values with depth, while control soils consistently had lower degradation at 15-30 cm depth. The findings showed that long-term rice cultivation, through agrochemicals use and tillage, significantly alters soil properties and increases degradation.

Author Biographies

Ikechukwu Alloysius Nweke

Department of Soil Science

Leonard Ndubuisi Nsoanya

Department of Soil Science

Dimensions

Agulue E., Okoye N., Oji S. I., Nwocha K. F. (2020). Assessment of land use and land cover changes and its implications to flooding along Omambala flood plain, Anambra state. International Journal of Geography and Geology. Vol. 9(1): 71 83. https://doi.org/10.18488/journal.10.2020.91.71.83

Allen, S.E., 1989. Chemical Analysis of Ecological Materials. Blackwell Scientific Publications, Oxford. Blackwell Scientific Publication 2nd edition. 209 -311.

Andres N. B, Ana V. S, Leonardo P., Dborah T., Daniel B., Raquel M., Andriana G. (2014). Soil texture analysis using a hydrometer: modification of the Bouyoucos method. Ciencia Investigacion Agraria. 41 (2): 263 271.

Bedolla-Rivera H. I., Negrete-Rodriguez M. X., Gamez-Vazquez F. P., Alvarez-Bernal D., Conde-Barajas E. (2023). Analyzing the impact of intensive agriculture on soil quality: a systemic review and global meta-analysis of quality indexes. Agronomy. Vol. 13(8), 2166. https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy13082166

Bray, R. H., and Kurtz, L. T. (1945). Determination of total, organic, and available forms of phosphorus in soils. Soil Science, 59, 3945.

Ezeokoli O. T., Nuaila V. N. A., Obieze C. C., Muetanene B. A., Fraga I., Tesinde M. N., Ndayiragije A., Coutinho J., Melo A. M. P., Adeleke R. A., Ribeiro-Barros A. I., Fangueiro D. (2021). Assessing the impact of rice cultivation on off-season period on dynamics of soil enzyme activities and bacterial communities in two agro-ecological regions of Mozambique. Agronomy. 11(4), 694. https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11040694

Grant C. A., and Sheppard S. C. (2008). Fertilizer impacts on cadmium availability in agricultural soils and crops. Human and Ecological Risk Assessment. 14 (2): 210-228

Grossman, R.B., Reinsch, T.G., 2002. Bulk density and linear extensibility. In: Methods of Soil Analysis: Part 4 Physical Methods, 5.4. Dane, J.H., Topp, G.C. (Eds.). SSSA Book Series 5. Soil Science Society of America. Madison,Wisconsin, USA. pp. 201-225. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2136/sssabookser5.4.c9

Grybos M., Davranche M., Gruau G., Petitjean P., and Pedrot M. (2009). Increasing pH drives organic matter solubilization from wetland soils under reducing conditions. Geoderma, 154(1-2): 13 -19. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geoderma.2009.09.001Get rights and content

Haque M. A., Kabir M. E., Akhter S., Hoque M. F., Sarker B. C., Anik M. A., Ahmed A., Pranto S., Sima A. S., Lima F., Jahiruddin M., Hossain M. B., Haque M. E., Satter M. A., William R. (2023). Crop Nutrient Limitations in Intensified Cropping Sequences on the Ganges Delta Coastal Floodplains. Journal of Soil Sci and Plant Nutr 23, 19962006. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42729-023-01154-1

Hesse, P.R. (1971). Soil Chemical Analysis, Chemical Publishing Co., New York. Pp.120-309.

Idris S., Lawal H. M., Maiyaki, Mahmud A. T, and Adamu M. (2019). Influence of various land use systems on selected soil productivity parameters of wetland soils. FUDMA Journal of Sciences. 3(2): 295-301.

Khatun J., Intekhab A., and Dhak D. (2022). Effect of uncontrolled fertilization and heavy metal toxicity associated with arsenic, lead and cadmium, and possible remediation. Toxicology, 477, 153274.

Lawler, S. P. (2001). Rice Fields as Temporary Wetlands: A Review. Israel Journal of Zoology, 47(4), 513528. https://doi.org/10.1560/X7K3-9JG8-MH2J-XGX1

Mandah V. P., Tematio P., Onana A. A., Fiaboe K. K. M., Arthur E., Giweta M. H., Ndango R., Silatsa F. B. T., Voulemo D. D. I., Biloa J. B., Nguemezi C., Masso C. (2024). Variability of soil organic carbon and nutrient content across land uses and agriculturally induced land use changes in the forest-savnna transition zone of Cameroon. Geoderma Regional. Vol. 37, e00808. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geodrs.2024.e00808

Mesele S. A., Ajiboye G. A., and Talbot J. (2024). Edaphic factors modulating pgosphorus availability in lowland rice systems in Nigeria. Communications in Soil Science and Plant Analysis. 55(19): 2935-2952. https://doi.org/10.1080/00103624.2024.2379593

Mohammed S. E., Aderibigbe D. O., Saeed M. D., Neland S. M., Musa A., and Ayanda O. S. (2024). Seasonal quality and statistical assessement of physicochemical properties and base saturation of Hadejia-Nguru wetland soils, Northwest/Eastern Nigeria. Water practice and Technology, 19 (3): 761.

Mujahid, S. N., Bala, M. U., Isyaku, A. M., Abba, M., Sani, S., Aliyu, H., Muhammad, A., Jamilu, Y., Shafiu, S., & Umar, M. Y. (2024). Evaluation of specific heavy metals in drinking water consumed in Yarakwa quarters, Naibawa, Tarauni LGA, Kano State, Nigeria. Fudma journal of sciences, 8(3), 208 - 213. https://doi.org/10.33003/fjs-2024-0803-2470

Nath, A., Bhuyan, P., Gogoi, N., and Deka, P. (2023). Pesticides and chemical fertilizers: Role in soil degradation, groundwater contamination, and human health. Xonobiotics in Urban Ecosystems, Springer Nature. Pp 131 -160. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-35775-6_7

Nelson D. W., Sommers L. E (1996). Total carbon, total organic carbon, and organic matter. In Methods of soil analysis. Part 3: Chemical methods. Agronomy Monograph No. 9. (Ed. DL Sparks) pp. 9611010. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2136/sssabookser5.3.c34

Nweke I., Ijeh A., Okafor J., Ngonadi E., Igili D. (2023). Aggregation status of four Nigerian soil classes tested under different water soaking times. Danish Scientific Journal. No. 72, 3 13. y https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.7997208

Oduma O., Oluka S. I., and Eze P. C. (2018). Effect of soil physical properties on the performance of agricultural field machineries in the tropical region of Nigeria. CIGR Journal. Open access, 20 (1): 25.

Okafor M. J., Chidozie E. I. (2016). Impact of different soil amendments on crude oil-polluted soil and performance of maize Agrokhimiya i gruntoznavstvo. VIP. 85. - P. 19-27. http://nbuv.gov.ua/UJRN/ agrohimigrn_2016_85_5

Okafor M. J., Nnabuihe E. C., Madueke C. O., Egboka T. N., Apalowo O. A., Nwaiwu C. J., Ernest C. I., Ezeonu C. J. (2024). Assessment of carbon and nitrogen stock in soils of cassava and rice farms in the derived savanna of Anambra state, southeastern Nigeria. Agriculture, Food and Natural Resource Journal. Vol. 3(1): 14 -23. https://www.doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.13697979

Osinuga O. A., Aduloju A. B., and Oyegoke C. O. (2023). Impact of agrochemical application on soil quality indicators and trace elements levels of wetlands under different uses. Journal of trace elements and minerals. Vol. 5, 100090. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jtemin.2023.100090

Pieri C (1992). Fertility of soils: A future for farming in the West African savannah. Springer Series in Physical Environment. (Springer-Verlag: Berlin). DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-84320-4

Schollenberger, C. J., and Simon, R. H. (1945). Determination of exchange capacity and exchangeable bases in soil-ammonium acetate method. Soil Science, 59(1), 1324.

Shah S. S., Dam J. V., Singh A., Kumar S., Kumar S., Bundela D. S., Ritsema C. (2024). Impact of irrigation, fertilizer, and pesticide management practices on groundwater and soil health in the rice-wheat cropping system: a comparison of conventional, resource conservation technologies and conservation agriculture. Research Square. https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-4151237/v1.

Sharma L.K., Naik R. (2024). Wetland Ecosystems. Springer, Singapore. pp. 3 32. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-97-5069-6_1

Sharma, U.C., Datta, M., Sharma, V. (2022). Land Use and Management. In: Soils in the Hindu Kush Himalayas. Geography of the Physical Environment. Springer, Cham. pp. 295 462. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-11458-8_7

Steinmuller H. E. and Chambers L. G. (2019). Characterization of coastal wetland soil organic matter: Implications for wetland submergence. Science of the total environment, 677: 648 659. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.04.405

Thomas, M.F., 1994. Geomorphology in the Tropics: A Study of Weathering and Denudation in Low Latitudes. John Wiley, New York.

Wang, C., Zhang, G., and Chen, S. (2024). Soil surface roughness of sloping croplands affected by land degradation degree and residual of incorporated straw. Geoderma, 444: 116872. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geoderma.2024.116872

Watson, M. E., and Isaac, R. A. (1990). Analytical instruments for soil and plant analysis. In R. L. Westerman (Ed.), Soil Testing and Plant Analysis. Soil Science Society of America, Madison, WI. 3rd ed., pp. 691740

WHO/FAO. Codex alimentarius commission. Food additives and contaminants. Food Standards Programme, ALINORM 10/12A. Joint FAO/WHO; 2001. Available: https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.1.4910.2560

Wright, R. J., and Stuczynski, T. I. (1996). Atomic absorption and flame emission spectrometry. In D. L. Sparks (Ed.), Methods of Soil Analysis, Part 3, Chemical Methods. Soil Science Society of America, Madison, WI. SSSA Book Series No. 5, pp. 6590

Zhou W., Li M., Achal V. (2024). A comprehensive review on environmental and human health impacts of chemical pesticides usage. Emerging Contaminants. Vol. 11(1), 100410. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.emcon.2024.100410

Zondo S. (2021). Maximum residue limits (MRLs) of heavy metals in agricukltural soil, irrigation water and crops. Research and Technology Bulletin. Pp. 2.

Zou, Y., Tang, X., Cui, L, Li H., Zhao X., Zhai X., Li J., Wang J., Wang R., Li W. (2024). Analysis of coupled wetland soilplant ecological stoichiometric characteristics of carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus under different disturbance intensities. Plant Soil. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-024-07031-9

Published

31-05-2025

How to Cite

SOIL DEGRADATION AND NUTRIENT DYNAMICS IN SOILS UNDER CONTINUOUS RICE PRODUCTION IN SEASONAL WETLAND ECOSYSTEMS OF ANAMBRA STATE, NIGERIA. (2025). FUDMA JOURNAL OF SCIENCES, 9(5), 164-170. https://doi.org/10.33003/fjs-2025-0905-3482

Issue

Vol. 9 No. 5 (2025): FUDMA Journal of Sciences - Vol. 9 No. 5

Section

Research Articles
Copyright & Licensing

How to Cite

SOIL DEGRADATION AND NUTRIENT DYNAMICS IN SOILS UNDER CONTINUOUS RICE PRODUCTION IN SEASONAL WETLAND ECOSYSTEMS OF ANAMBRA STATE, NIGERIA. (2025). FUDMA JOURNAL OF SCIENCES, 9(5), 164-170. https://doi.org/10.33003/fjs-2025-0905-3482

Most read articles by the same author(s)