HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Figures Only Full Text Free Full Text (PDF) Free Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Monkiedje, A. Articles by Sukul, P. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Monkiedje, A. Articles by Sukul, P. Agricola Articles by Monkiedje, A. Articles by Sukul, P. Related Collections Soil Pollution Soil Analysis Soil Biochemistry

TECHNICAL REPORTS

Plant and Environment Interactions

The Effect of Land Use on Soil Health Indicators in Peri-Urban Agriculture in the Humid Forest Zone of Southern Cameroon

^a Lab. of General Biology, Dep. of Animal Biology and Physiology, Faculty of Science, Univ. of Yaounde I, P.O. Box 812, Cameroon
^b Institute of Environmental Research (INFU), Univ. of Dortmund, Otto-Hahn-Str. 6, D-44221 Dortmund, Germany
^c Institute of Agric. Research for Development (IRAD), P.O. Box 8367, Yaounde-Cameroon

^* Corresponding author (spiteller{at}infu.uni-dortmund.de)

Received for publication December 4, 2005. The objective of this study was to identify the effect of different land uses in peri-urban agriculture on the soil properties. Soil health indicators were evaluated in the top 10 cm at five tilled agricultural sites involving different cropping systems and use of agrochemicals within the peri-urban agricultural areas of Yaounde, Cameroon, and compared with a native forest land. The experimental data showed that the selected indicators were sensitive to cropping practice. Most cropped land had significantly higher total C, available N and P concentrations, soil pH, electrical conductivity, salinity, biomass C and P, dehydrogenase, ß-glucosidase, and acid phosphatase activities. Land producing corn (Zea mays L.) and sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum L.) differed from that producing tomatoes (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.), but cultivation of these crops has significantly impacted native soil quality. However, phenol oxidase, microbal biomass C/organic C (C_mic/C_org), and microbial biomass C/microbial biomass P (C_mic/P_mic) were negatively affected. These appeared to be more consistent indicators of negative management causing changes to soil health and may be suitable for an early appraisal of soil health.

Abbreviations: acid-PA, acid phosphatase • alk-PA, alkaline phosphatase • ß-glu, ß-glucosidase • C_mic, microbial biomass carbon • C_org, organic carbon • DHA, dehydrogenase • EC, electrical conductivity • N_mic, microbial biomass nitrogen • phenox, phenyl oxidase • P_mic, microbial biomass phosphorus • TDS, total dissolved salts