Effect of Different Land-Use Types on Soil Properties in Cheha District, South-Central Ethiopia

Land-use changes under poor management practices are among the major causes of decline in soil fertility and agricultural productivity in south-central Ethiopia. Therefore, the study of soil properties variations across land-use types will have implications for planning proper soil management strategies. This study assessed the effects of land-use types on soil physicochemical properties in the Cheha district, south-central Ethiopia. Seven land-use types, eucalyptus plantation, cultivated, grazing, shrub, enset (Ensete ventricosum), khat (Chata edulis), and natural forest, were considered in describing soil fertility. A total of 21 soil samples (0–20 cm depth) were collected randomly from three representative soil sampling plots across each land-use type and examined for their analysis of soil physicochemical properties. Results showed that land-use changes induced significant (p < 0.05) differences in the soil OC, total N, CEC, pH, aluminum saturation, and Fe among land-use types were observed. Soils under eucalyptus plantation were considerably low in the sand (23.44%), silt (24.00%), and available water content (111.13 mm/m), whereas high in clay (52.56%) content and bulk density (1.39 g cm−3) as compared to enset land-use type. Compared to natural forest, soils under enset land-use type were high in soil OC (2.41%), total N (0.23%), and CEC (37.61 cmol (+) kg−1) followed by khat land-use. Correlation analysis also showed a highly significant positive relationship between soil OC and CEC but negative with bulk density, soil pH, and aluminum saturation. Total N in eucalyptus plantation, cultivated, khat, and enset lands were depleted by 56.0%, 40.0%, 36.0%, and 8.0%, respectively. Relative to forest land, lower exchangeable Ca, Mg, and Na contents were recorded in soils of cultivated land use. The extractable Fe, Mn, and Zn contents of soils were generally high and are not limiting for crop production. The intensive exploitation of land resources and improper soil management systems in the area could be the major factors for variations in soil properties across land-use types. Therefore, there is a need to develop integrated soil management practices that could help to restore soil nutrients and thereby minimize the continuing soil degradation for sustainable agricultural productivity.