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Browsing Articles by Author "Abubakar, Sani M."
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Item Open Access ALLEVIATING SOIL COMPACTION BY ORGANIC AMENDMENTS ON CROPPING FIELDS IN A PART OF NIGERIA’S SAVANNA REGION(Department of Geography, Nasarawa State University Keffi, 1999-06-12) Ayuba, H.K.; Abubakar, Sani M.It is well recognized 'that organic amendments in cropping field, especially on long term, alleviate soil compaction. The extent of such however varies clearly with soil condition, bio-climatic conditions of an area, levels of the amendments themselves, cropping history and land management techniques each of which can vary from an area to another. In this article, a brief report is given of a study conducted to examine the combative effects of long term (1961-1991) organic manure amendments on two key indices of soil compaction (bulk density and total porosity) in Konduga area of Nigeria's Suduno-Sahelian region. This was done by examining soils of 15 farmer-managed plots, and those of uncultivated plots under long-standing, semi-natural vegetation cover. The results obtained reveal that even though the cultivated plots vary in age, of between 5-30 years, as at the time of soil sampling (1991), there are very low spatial variations in mean values of the two soil structural properties of the 15 plots. The properties of the cultivated plots have been maintained at about 100% of the values of the same properties of the uncultivated plots. These results thus suggest that on both short and long term bases, the use of organic manure in soil fertility-maintenance-in the study area can possibly reverse the degradation trends occasioned by soil compaction.Item Open Access ASESSMENT OF DROUGHT INDUCED LAND COVER CHANGES IN GAJIRAM AREA OF BORNO STATE USING LANDSAT MSS SATELLITE DATA(Department of Geography, Nasarawa State University Keffi, 2001-06-01) Ayuba, H.K.; Abubakar, Sani M.Drought is a principal factor governing land cover charges of land degradation in such ecosystems. Satellite remote sensing is a good cool of directing such changes. In this paper, the impact of Nigeria 's 1984 drought on land cover was examined by analyzing 1980 and 1987 digital Landsat MSS satellite data of Gajiram area of Borno State, Nigeria.The two data were radio-metrically and geometrically corrected, registered to a common map projection and then each subjected to a maximum likelihood unsupervised classification to produce a land cover map for each date. The two independently classified maps were then compared within the framework of Geographical Information System to evaluate the magnitude of changes in each land cover between the two dates. The results obtained revealed that between the two compared periods, the various land cover types have undergo the following changes in their special extents: Built-up (+100) Bare(+125%). Grass and Herbs (+13%) Shrubs and Grasses(+43%), Open Tress and Shrubs (-12%), Thcrr.bush t-4IVoi. Forest (-27%), Thickets (-45:>,. oi:d Ha&r (-60%). Possible underlining reasons for the observed changes, and their implication for land development in the area have been discussed.Item Open Access ASSESSING EVIDENCE FOR SOIL DEGRADATION IN THE SEMI-ARID RANGELAND OF YOBE STATE, NIGERIA.(Department of Geography, Nasarawa State University Keffi, 2001-01-01) Ayuba, H.K.; Abubakar, Sani M.This paper examines soil chemical degradation in one of the largest statutory grazing reserves in Yobe State, Nigeria (The Jakusko-Nasari grazing reserve). Soil samples were collected and analysed using standard Held and laboratory techniques. To compute the indices of soil degradation, the mean value for each soil parameter used in the grazed plots (the heavily grazed, moderately grazed and light grazed sites) is expressed as a percentage of the mean value in the Savanna woodland site (the reference location); and the value obtained is subtracted from 100. The results reveal an enrichment of organic matter, total nitrogen, available phosphorus and other soil nutrients in the heavily grazed sites close to the water points. This suggests a net transport of nutrients from the outlying areas inwards towards the water points! In spite of this pattern, the nutrient status of the soil is significantly lower than those of Southern Guinea Savanna, it was recommended that the rangeland he reseeded with promising legumes such as Slylosanthes species and Alylosia Scarabaciodcs in order to help fix nitrogen, thus increase soil nutrient; improve soil structure and increase ovcrallTangc productivity.Item Open Access SOIL NUTRIENT DYNAMIC UNDER SMALL-HOLDER AGRICULTURAL PRACTICES IN KONDUGA, NORTH EASTERN NIGERIA(Department of Geography, Nasarawa State University Keffi, 2000-04-01) Ayuba, H.K.; Aweto, A.O.; Abubakar, Sani M.The fertility of soil in the tropics is influenced strongly by the secondary soil factors of organic matter, cation exchange capacity (CEC) and pH. Thus, information on the-changes in the levels of these soil properties is very vital to agricultural land use planning. This study examines the changes which occur in these soil properties following the establishment of small-holder agricultural practices, by comparing soil properties under the small-holder agricultural practices (SHAP) with a similar soil under a natural Savanna woodland (forest reserve). The result revealed that in the 0- 10cm layer of soil under small-holder agriculture, mere (P<0,01) in organic matter CEC and pH (P<0.05) compared with similar properties in adjoining Savanna woodland. In the IO-30cm layer or soil, organic matter, CEC and pH also decline significantly (P<0.05). The results suggest a decline in soil fertility in the cultivated sites. The adoption of soil management techniques to conserve and enhance soil organic matter and nutrients appears crucial to the long-term productivity of the soil and sustainability of agriculture in the area. were significant declineItem Open Access Soil nutrient dynamics under smallholder agricultural practices in Konduga, north-eastern Nigeria(Department of Geography, Nasarawa State University Keffi, 2000-04-12) Ayuba, H.K.; Aweto, A.O.; Abubakar, Sani M.The fertility of soil in the tropics is strongly influenced by the secondary soil factors of organic matter (OM), cation exchange capacity (CEC), and pH. Thus, information on the changes in the levels of these soil properties is very vital to agricultural land use planning. This study examined the changes which occur in these soil properties following the establishment of small-holder agricultural practices (SHAP), by comparing soil properties under the SHAP with a similar soil under a natural Savannah woodland (forest reserve). The results revealed that in the 0-10 cm layer of soil under small-holder agriculture, there was a significant decline (P < 0.01) in OM, CEC, and pH (P < 0.05) compared with similar properties in the adjoining Savannah woodland. In the 10-30 cm layer of soil, OM, CEC, and pH also declined significantly (P < 0.05). The results suggested a decline in soil fertility in the cultivated sites. The adoption of soil management techniques to conserve and enhance soil OM and nutrients appears crucial to the long term productivity of the soil and sustainability of agriculture in the area.