Soil Electrical Conductivity As Influenced by Ionic Dynamics and Salinity Strength under Tripartite Ecological Condition in Parts of Niger Delta, Nigeria
N. L. Edwin-Wosu *
Department of Plant Science and Biotechnology, Faculty of Science, University of Port Harcourt, Choba, P.M.B 5323, Rivers State, Nigeria.
A. E. Nkang
Department of Botany, University of Calabar, Cross River State, Nigeria.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Background: Soil Electrical Conductivity (EC) is one of the soil physical properties related to a number of soil indices either in it natural status or anthropogenic influenced condition within individual field or across soil landscapes such as the tripartite ecological condition under consideration.
Aim: The study was aimed at understanding the varying relationship between soil EC and ionic-salinity changes under ecological tripartite condition of pre-pollution, post-pollution and phytoremediation soils.
Study Design: Research methods involved the nested split plot design, carried out the Department of Botany, University of Calabar, Cross River State, Nigeria.
Methods: Field sampling / laboratory analysis and SAS PROC. ANOVA (Soft Ware) for data analysis.
Results: Has revealed increasing trend of Nitrate (NO3-), Phosphate (PO4-), Calcium (Ca2+), Potassium (K+), salinity and EC and a decreasing trend of Sulphate (SO4-), Magnesium (Mg2+), Sodium (Na+), and moisture in post-pollution. Macrophytic treated hydrocarbon soils had decrease in NO3-, Ca2+, Mg2+, salinity and EC and increase in SO4-, PO4-, Na+, K+, and moisture in divergence content. Peltophorum soil was greater in NO3-, SO4-, and K+, Leucaena soil in Ca2+, Mg2+, PO4-, and moisture while Crotolaria was high in Na+, and salinity content.
Conclusion: The trend observed for EC in the phytoremediation phase of the tripartite condition paralleled changes in ionic content and salinity strength. Therefore EC is a function of ionic dynamics, salinity and moisture which appears to be reliable indicator of EC potential of tripartite soil.
Keywords: Phytoremediation, anion, cation, pollution, soil moisture