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

• Published in: Journal of environmental quality Vol. 35; no. 6; pp. 2402 - 2409
• Main Authors: Monkiedje, A, Spiteller, M, Fotio, D, Sukul, P
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Madison American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, Soil Science Society 01.11.2006; Crop Science Society of America; American Society of Agronomy
• Subjects: Acid Phosphatase - metabolism; Agricultural chemicals; Agricultural management; Agricultural production; agricultural soils; Agrochemicals; Agronomy. Soil science and plant productions; Applied sciences; beta-Glucosidase - metabolism; Biological and medical sciences; Biomass; Cameroon; Carbon - metabolism; Cocoa; Cropping systems; Crops, Agricultural; Earth sciences; Earth, ocean, space; Electric Conductivity; Engineering and environment geology. Geothermics; Environmental Monitoring - methods; Exact sciences and technology; fertilizers; Food supply; forest soils; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Humans; humid tropics; Humidity; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; Land use; Lycopersicon esculentum; Monophenol Monooxygenase - metabolism; Nitrogen - metabolism; Organic Chemicals - chemistry; Organic Chemicals - metabolism; Oxidoreductases - metabolism; pesticides; Phenols; Phosphorus - metabolism; Pollution; Pollution, environment geology; Population density; Saccharum officinarum; Sodium Chloride - chemistry; Soil - analysis; soil biological properties; soil chemical properties; soil enzymes; soil fertility; Soil Microbiology; Soil microorganisms; Soil pH; soil physical properties; Soil properties; Soil quality; Solanum lycopersicum var. lycopersicum; suburban areas; Suburban Health; Sugarcane; Terrestrial ecosystems; Tomatoes; Trees; tropical forests; Urban agriculture; Urban areas; Zea mays; Cameroon; Africa; Cameroon, Yaounde; Organic carbon; Agricultural chemical product; Monocotyledones; Electrical conductivity; Available nutrient; Phosphoric monoester hydrolases; Soil quality; Catechol oxidase; Esterases; Dehydrogenase; Tomato; Organic phosphorus; Enzymatic activity; Total nitrogen; Suburban environment; Gramineae; Dicotyledones; Angiospermae; Humidity; Lycopersicon esculentum; Agriculture; Solanaceae; Primary forest; Cultural practice; Zea mays; Forest zone; Enzyme; Cropping system; Property of soil; Microbial biomass; Indicator; Land use; Salinity; β-Glucosidase; Saccharum officinarum; Glycosidases; Hydrolases; Suburban zone; Spermatophyta; Oxidoreductases; Microorganism; O-Glycosidases; Acid phosphatase
• ISSN: 0047-2425; 1537-2537
• DOI: 10.2134/jeq2005.0447

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, β-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 (Cmic/Corg), and microbial biomass C/microbial biomass P (Cmic/Pmic) 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.