Numerical classification of termite-mediated soils along toposequences and rangeland use influenced soil properties in southeast Ethiopia.

ABSTRACT: Despite termite-induced soil mixing, summarizing termite-affected soil horizons is difficult, while the lack of accurate information on the pedogenic processes featured by termite bioturbation, topography, and land use limits an effort to address land degradation. A study was therefore carried out to quantitatively classify the soils and describe them based on rangeland uses. Based on cluster analysis, five representative soil profiles were studied at different topographical positions. Soil samples were collected from mounds and adjacent soils under enclosure, cultivated, and open-grazing land at the summit and foot slope positions. Agglomerative clustering showed low Ca²⁺, CEC, pH, and Mg²⁺ that described cambic horizons formed Cambisols at the summit and back slope.

SUBMITTER: Bekele A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10772187 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature