Assessment of Soil Degradation and Resilience Index across Different Topographic Positions in Wukari, Taraba State, Nigeria
1
Federal University Wukari, Taraba State, Nigeria 
2
Federal University Wukari, Taraba State, Nigeria
Published
2025-05-30
Keywords:
Land Management
Organic Matter Depletion
PCA
Resilience Index
Soil Degradation
Topographic Positions
Wukari
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Abstract
ackground: Soil degradation is a major challenge to agricultural productivity, particularly in continuously cultivated landscapes.
Aims: This study assesses soil degradation and resilience across upland, midland, and lowland topographic positions in Wukari, Taraba State, Nigeria, using Principal Component Analysis (PCA), Hierarchical Cluster Analysis (HCA), and weighted index assessments.
Methods: A stratified random sampling approach was employed to collect 15 composite soil samples, which were analyzed for physical, chemical, and biological indicators of degradation.
Result: Results revealed that organic matter depletion was the most severe degradation factor across all terrain positions, with the upland exhibiting the highest level of degradation. Soil permeability was also significantly degraded in the upland, likely due to higher sand content and lower microporosity. Nitrogen depletion and elevated Exchangeable Sodium Percentage (ESP) were observed across all positions, indicating widespread fertility decline. The weighted degradation index (WDI) classified all positions as moderately degraded, with the upland (WDI = 2.35) experiencing the highest degradation, followed by the midland (1.8) and lowland (1.75). The resilience index (ISR) indicated that upland soils had low resilience (ISR = 0.30), whereas midland and lowland soils were moderately resilient (0.36). To mitigate degradation, organic matter restoration, conservation tillage, and erosion control are recommended for uplands, while controlled irrigation and balanced fertilization should be prioritized for midland and lowland soils. Further research should explore long-term soil monitoring to assess the effectiveness of these strategies.
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Gani, A. T., & Awwal, Y. A. (2025). Assessment of Soil Degradation and Resilience Index across Different Topographic Positions in Wukari, Taraba State, Nigeria. Open Soil Science and Environment, 3(1), 1–11. https://doi.org/10.70110/osse.v3i1.26
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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Copyright (c) 2025 Adashu Tanko Gani, Yasin Agono Awwal
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