Spatial Variability of Selected Soil Properties in Relation to Different Land Uses in Northern Kgalagadi (Matsheng), Botswana

Otlogetswe Totolo, Samuel Mosweu

University of Botswana.

DOI: 10.4236/ijg.2012.34066                

Abstract

Spatial variability of selected soil attributes were investigated in the Kgalagadi region. Soil samples were collected along transects at Hukuntsi, Tshane, Lokgwabe and Lehututu at 50 m, 200 m, 500 m, 1000 m, 2000 m and 5000 m from water sources located in areas of different land use types. Sampling depth was 0 - 10 cm, 50 - 70 cm and 100 - 120 cm. Samples were analysed for pH, EC, SOC, and P. Soil pH and EC were relatively high around CGA Pans, while SOC and P were generally low in the whole study area. It was concluded that the assumptions that different land use types existed under various soil environments with different soil properties, and that different land use types influence soil characteristics in various ways in the study area were not true.

Keywords

Kgalagadi Soils; Land-Use Types; Variation of Soil Properties

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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