Spatial Distribution and Variability of Selected Soil Chemical and Physical Properties in Zabarmari Floodplain of Jere Local Government Area, Borno State, Nigeria
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.33003/fjs-2026-1009-5286Keywords:
GIS, Spatial Variability, Soil Fertility, Soil Texture, Organic Carbon, ZabarmariAbstract
Understanding the spatial variability of soil properties is essential for sustainable land management, precision agriculture, and efficient utilization of agricultural inputs. This study assessed the spatial variability of selected soil chemical and physical properties in Zabarmari, Jere Local Government Area of Borno State, Nigeria. Thirty-one geo-referenced soil samples were collected from the 0-20 cm depth across cultivated fields in the study area. Laboratory analyses were conducted to determine soil pH, electrical conductivity (EC), organic carbon (OC), total nitrogen (TN), and particle size distribution. Descriptive statistics and Geographic Information System (GIS)-based interpolation techniques were employed to evaluate the spatial distribution of the measured properties. Soil pH ranged from 4.75 to 7.77, indicating strongly acidic to slightly alkaline conditions. Electrical conductivity varied between 0.12 and 2.26 dS m⁻¹, suggesting predominantly non-saline soils with localized salt accumulation. Organic carbon and total nitrogen ranged from 0.27-1.68% and 0.18-0.43%, respectively, indicating generally low fertility status. Particle size analysis revealed that clay content dominated the study area, ranging from 13.30 to 63.30%, while most soils were classified as clay, with a few locations identified as clay loam, silty clay, and sandy clay loam. Spatial distribution maps showed considerable heterogeneity in both chemical and physical properties across the landscape. The observed variability highlights the need for site-specific soil management practices, including balanced fertilizer application, organic matter incorporation, and appropriate irrigation management. The study demonstrates the usefulness of geospatial techniques in identifying soil fertility constraints and supporting sustainable agricultural production in the Sudan Savanna region of Nigeria.
References
Brady, N. C., & Weil, R. R. (2017). The nature and properties of soils (15th Ed.). Pearson Education.
Bremner, J. M. (1996). Nitrogen-total. In D. L. Sparks (Ed.), Methods of Soil Analysis, Part 3: Chemical Methods (pp. 1085–1121). Soil Science Society of America.
Buji I. B., S.S. Noma, N. B. Eniolorunda, E.A. Manasseh, M.B. Sharu, M. J. Magaji, N. G. Hayatu, I. Adamu, and I.Z. Talha, (2022). Characterization and Classification of Floodplain Soils of Rabah District Northwest Nigeria for Sustainable Crop Production Proceedings of the 46th Annual conference of Soil Science Society of Nigeria; (2022) pp 19-31. March 14th – 18th 2022. ISBN: 978- 978- 951- 500- 4
Cambardella, C.A., Moorman, T.B., Novak, J.M., Parkin, T.B., Karlen, D.L., Turco, R.F., & Konopka, A.E. (1994). Field-scale variability of soil properties in central Iowa soils. Soil Science Society of America Journal, 58(5), 1501–1511. https://doi.org/10.2136/sssaj1994.03615995005800050033x
Chude, V.O., Olayiwola, S.O., Daudu, C. and Ekeoma, A. (2011). Fertilizer Use and Management Practices for Crops in Nigeria.
Gee, G. W., & Bauder, J. W. (1986). Particle-size analysis. In A. Klute (Ed.), Methods of Soil Analysis: Part 1, Physical and Mineralogical Methods (2nd ed., pp. 383–411). American Society of Agronomy.
Foth, H.D. and Ellis, B.G. (1997). Soil Fertility.
Hillel, D. (2004). Introduction to environmental soil physics. Elsevier Academic Press.
Khallah, Y. I., Aliyu, M. A., Musa, A. S., & Muhammad, B. (2025). Spatial and geostatistical analysis of variability of soil exchangeable basic cations along River Wudil floodplain, Kano State, Nigeria. Sahel Journal of Life Sciences, 3(2), 239–250.
Lal, R. (2020). Soil organic matter and sustainable agriculture. Journal of Soil and Water Conservation, 75(5), 123A–127A.
Mulla, D.J. and Schepers, J.S. (1997). Key processes and properties for site-specific soil and crop management.
Mulla, D.J. and McBratney, A.B. (2001). Soil Spatial Variability. In A.W. Warrick (Ed.). Soil Physics Companion. CRC Press. USA. pp. 343-374.
Mwendwa, S. M., Kipkorir, E. C., & Kariuki, J. W. (2022). Assessing spatial variability of selected soil properties: Farm-scale study and implications for precision agriculture. Scientific Reports, 12(1), 15632.
Nelson, D. W., & Sommers, L. E. (1982). Total carbon, organic carbon and organic matter. In A. L. Page et al. (Eds.), Methods of Soil Analysis, Part 2 (2nd ed., pp. 539–579). American Society of Agronomy.
Nkanga, N. A., Akpan, U. S., Eyong, M. O., & Henry, U. I. (2023). Spatial variability status of selected soil properties in north-east Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. International Journal of Agriculture and Environmental Research, 9(5), 944–962.
Odunze, A.C., Tarfa, B.D. and Bationo, A. (2006). Soil fertility management in the Nigerian savanna.
Onyechere, A. U., Ukabiala, M. E., Amanze, C. T., & Onyechere, I. C. (2023). Application of GIS in the study of spatial variability of selected soil properties in Southeastern Nigeria. ASRIC Journal of Agricultural Sciences, 4(1), 87–98.
Robert, P.C. (2002). Precision agriculture: A challenge for crop nutrition management
Rhoades, J. D. (1996). Salinity: Electrical conductivity and total dissolved solids. In D. L. Sparks (Ed.), Methods of Soil Analysis, Part 3: Chemical Methods. Soil Science Society of America.
Thomas, G. W. (1996). Soil pH and soil acidity. In D. L. Sparks (Ed.), Methods of Soil Analysis, Part 3: Chemical Methods (pp. 475–490). Soil Science Society of America.
Wilding, L. P. (1985). Spatial variability: Its documentation, accommodation and implication to soil surveys. In D. R. Nielsen & J. Bouma (Eds.), Soil Spatial Variability (pp. 166–194). Pudoc, Wageningen, The Netherlands.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
Categories
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Ibrahim Babagana Buji, Alhaji Maigana Chiroma, Kachallah Usman, Samson Joshua Kwari, Abdulrahman Maina Zubairu, Mohammad Idris Yusuf, Mustapha Pinder Mustapha
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
