Correlation Matrix Between Soil Structural and Chemical Properties as Influenced by Rainfall Patterns in Akwa Ibom State.

Abstract

This study evaluated the correlation between soil structural indices and soil chemical properties as influenced by rainfall patterns in selected flood-prone areas of Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. The study was conducted in four locations representing upland and coastal environments namely, Uyo, Eket, Eastern Obolo and Ikot Ekpene. Soil samples were collected at two depths of 0-15cm and 15-30cm and analyzed for selected structural properties such as moisture content (MC), infiltration rate (IR), dispersion ratio (DR) and water stable aggregates (WSA) as well as chemical properties such as soil pH, organic carbon (OC), organic matter (OM), total nitrogen (TN), available phosphorus (Av. P), exchangeable bases, exchangeable acidity (EA), effective cation exchange capacity (ECEC) and base saturation (Bs). Correlation analysis was performed using IBM SPSS. The results showed a strong positive relationship between infiltration rate and organic carbon in Uyo (r= 0.992**), Eket (r= 0.975*), Eastern Obolo (r = 0.473) and Ikot Ekpene (r = 0.404), indicating that increased organic matter improved water movement and soil aggregation. Water stable aggregates (WSA) showed strong positive correlations with total exchangeable bases (TEB) in Uyo (r= 1.000**), Eastern Obolo (r = 0.181) and Ikot Ekpene (r= 0.942) but correlated negatively (r = -0.922) in Eket. Dispersion ratio (DR) shows a negative correlation with organic matter (OM) in Eastern Obolo (r= -0.995**) and Ikot Ekpene (r= -0.927), indicating improved aggregate stability with increased organic matter. Exchangeable acidity (EA) negatively correlated with WSA in Eastern Obolo (r= -0.907) and infiltration rate in Uyo (r= -0.993**), indicating that increasing acidity weakened soil structure under intense rainfall conditions. High rainfall intensity increased soil acidity and nutrient leaching, particularly in coastal locations. It is hereby recommended that sustainable soil management practices that enhance organic matter accumulation and nutrient retention are therefore essential for maintaining soil productivity in Akwa Ibom State.