Summary
The phosphorus status of some mangrove and fresh-water hydromorphic soils of the Nigerian Niger Delta was evaluated by determining the relative abundance of various P forms and the P-sorption capacity indices. Total P was high in all soils ranging from 352 to 2055 mg/kg, with a mean of 1011 mg/kg. The saline mangrove-swamp soils had generally higher values than the fresh-water soils. Organic P formed about 34% of total P. The relative abundance of the inorganic P forms was in decreasing order, active P, occluded P and residual P. The relative distribution of active P followed the decreasing order, Fe−P, Al−P and Ca−P.
The adsorption capacity was generally low in all soils. The amount of P sorbed from the addition of 150 mg/100g of soil ranged from zero to 13 mg/100g, giving an average of about 7% of added P sorbed.
The abundance of active P and low content of occluded P were attributed to the poorly drained and unweathered nature of the soils. The low P adsorption suggests little capacity of the soils to fix P. The relatively high content of active P and the low P sorption capacity generally indicate high availability of P to plant in these soils.
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Udo, E.J., Ibedu, M.A. & Fagbami, A.A. Phosphorus status of some saline and non-saline hydromorphic soils of the Niger Delta of Nigeria. Plant Soil 77, 327–335 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02182935
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02182935