Soil Electrical Conductivity As Influenced by Ionic Dynamics and Salinity Strength under Tripartite Ecological Condition in Parts of Niger Delta, Nigeria

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.