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Table 1 Mean (± SD) of soil MC, BD and particle size distribution in the soil layer of 0–15 cm across different land use/land cover systems and altitudes

From: Effects of land use change on soil physicochemical properties in selected areas in the North West region of Cameroon

Soil property

Altitude

Land use types

Virgin forest

Virgin savana

Farming

Park afforestation

Grazing land

Eucalyptus forest

P value

MC (%)

High (> 1500 m)

8.69a ± 0.34

6.96ab ± 0.84

5.06b ± 1.33

6.96ab ± 0.84

6.97ab ± 3.31

*

Mid (900–1500 m)

5.55ab ± 1.16

2.78ac ± 0.12

3.90ac ± 0.85

3.49ad ± 0.686

2.42ce ± 1.42

5.83b ± 2.02

*

Low (< 900 m)

6.98a ± .1.984

2.31b ± 0.83

3.03b ± 1.56

2.30b ± 0.83

4.77ab ± 0.68

*

Total

7.07 ± .1.81

4.01 ± 2.26

3.99 ± 1.41

3.49 ± 0.69

3.90 ± .2.438

5.86 ± 2.51

*

BD (g/cm3)

High (> 1500 m)

0.51a ± 0.03

0.84b ± 0.09

0.89b ± 0.09

0.84b ± .009

0.756b ± .151

*

Mid (900–1500 m)

0.57a ± 0.11

0.87b ± 0.10

1.11c ± 0.24

0.94bd ± 0.09

1.19c ± 0.17

0.80bd ± .072

*

Low (< 900 m)

0.79a ± 0.11

1.45b ± 0.00

1.08c ± 0.20

1.39b ± 0.08

0.80d ± 0.07

*

Total

0.63 ± 0.15

1.05 ± 0.30

1.04 ± 0.21

0.94 ± 0.09

1.14 ± 0.26

0.78 ± 0.11

 

Sand (%)

High (> 1500 m)

28.50ab ± 0.58

37.50ab ± 1.95

28.38b ± 7.15

37.50ab ± 1.91

37.0ac ± 5.35

*

Mid (900–1500 m)

36.50a ± 5.80

34.00a ± 6.93

34.50a ± 4.98

36.92a ± 4.46

32.00a ± 4.97

35.4a ± 9.99

NS

Low (< 900 m)

38.00ab ± 0.00

37.00ab ± 0.00

41.88b ± 5.69

31.50ab ± 8.43

35.2ac ± 6.702

*

Total

34.33 ± 5.31

36.17 ± 4.09

34.86 ± 7.67

36.97 ± 4.46

33.67 ± 5.93

36.0 ± 7.427

 

Silt (%)

High (> 1500 m)

57.00ab ± 0.00

48.00ab ± 2.00

56.13b ± 6.49

48.00ab ± 2.00

48.0ac ± 5.657

*

Mid (900–1500 m)

47.00a ± 5.89

52.00a ± 5.77

48.00a ± 5.94

45.50a ± 4.10

53.00a ± 6.93

49.0a ± 10.7

NS

Low (< 900 m)

43.00ab ± 0.00

47.00ab ± 0.00

42.00b ± 5.76

51.50ab ± 9.15

52.00ac ± 5.29

*

Total

49.00 ± 6.88

49.00 ± 3.91

48.61 ± 7.98

45.50 ± 4.10

50.83 ± 6.46

49.20 ± 7.81

 

Clay (%)

High (> 1500 m)

14.50a ± 0.58

14.50a ± 1.00

15.12a ± 0.99

14.50a ± 1.00

14.63a ± 2.77

NS

Mid (900–1500 m)

16.25a ± 2.87

13.50a ± 1.73

17.17a ± 2.69

17.25a ± 3.77

14.75a ± 2.75

15.25a ± 2.96

NS

Low (< 900 m)

18.50a ± 0.58

16.00ab ± 0.00

16.00ab ± 1.69

16.75ab ± 2.22

12.7b ± 3.50

*

Total

16.42 ± 2.31

14.67 ± 0.50

16.25 ± 2.17

17.25 ± 3.77

15.33 ± 2.18

14.50 ± 2.98

 
  1. Means in the same row followed by the same letters (a, b or c) are not significantly different at 1% significance
  2. NS non significance, MC moisture content, BD bulk density
  3. * Significant at P < 0.01