World Journal of
Pharmaceutical and Life Sciences

THE IMPACT OF SOIL TYPE ON PRODUCTIVITY AND CARRYING CAPACITY OF ELSEMEIH RANGELAND OF NORTH KORDOFAN STATE, SUDAN

Elkheir Mugadam Salih*, Suraj Mohammed Ali, Amani Abdelrahim Kobbail, Abdelwadoud Abdallah Elkhalifa and Sheikhleldeen Bushra Ali

ABSTRACT

This research was conducted at Elsemeih area during the period (2013-2014). The objective was to study the impacts of soil types and rainfall parameters on productivity and carrying capacity of the rangeland in the study area. The vegetation measurements were carried out using quadrate methods. Systematic random samples techniques were used. The number of line transects were identified according to point of diminishing return method. Accordingly, (40) lines transect (20 lines for each season) were made. Each twenty lines were further divided in to ten lines transects for the sandy soil and (10) line transects for the clay ones for both seasons (2013 and 2014). The data were processed and analyzed using statistical package of science soft ware (SPSS). T-test statistical analysis method was used. The results showed that, there were significant differences (P?0.0001& P<0.05) in vegetation cover and productivity between sandy and clay soil in the two seasons, respectively. The average percentages of vegetation cover were 50% and 62% for sandy and clay soils, respectively. Whereas the average productivity were 0.5625 tan/ha and 0.615 tan/ha for sandy and clay soils, respectively. These differences were attributed to the environmental factors such as shortage and fluctuations of rainfall of dry seasons and manmade activities such as trees cutting, overgrazing, over cultivation and using plough in the fragile soils. Despite the two soils face the same challenges but the results showed that, the deterioration of productivity and the impacts on carrying capacity were highly in the sandy soils rather than the clay ones.

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