ABSTRACT

This experiment was conducted to ascertain the micronutrient status of soils under different land uses at the University of Benin Ugbowo campus. Four land use types were used: Arable, Commercial, Forest and Residential land. Three different sites were carefully selected for each land use (replicates). Auger samples were taken at 0-15 cm and 15-30 cm depths for each location, and samples were collected for laboratory analysis. Parameters measured included pH, TOC, B, Cl, Cu, Fe, Mn, Mo, Zn, and soil particle contents. Results showed that the pH levels of the soils vary with soil depth, with arable land being neutral, forest land being moderately acid, and both commercial and residential land being slightly acid. pH, TOC, B, Cl, Cu, Fe, Mn, Mo, Zn, and silt content had their highest values in the topsoil (0-15 cm), except at the pH depth (15-30 cm) of forest land, Sand at forest land and Clay contents. At the 0-15 cm depth, forest land had the highest significant (p < 0.05) values of B (12.64 mg/kg), Cl (2.65 mg/kg), Cu (33.34 mg/kg), Fe (76.21 mg/kg), Mn (10.49 mg/kg), Mo (0.69 mg/kg) and Zn (21.82 mg/kg). While in the 15-30 cm depth, forest land had the highest significant (p < 0.05) values of B, Cl, Cu, Fe, Mn, and Zn while Mo (0.32 mg/kg) had its highest significant value in arable land. The soil separates analysis showed that the predominant texture across all land uses was sand.