Some soil parameters in relation to macrophyte abundance along the Manatee habitat along River Benue, Nigeria

Abstract

Some soil parameters as well as the aquatic flora  along river Benue were analyzed.The results indicated that ten plants were identified as manatee food plants and these include; Cynodon, dactylon, Digitaria horizontalis, Eichornia crassipes, Ipomea aquatica, Vossia cuspidata, Viteveria flavibarbis, Quisqualis indica, Polygonium acuminatum, Pistia stratiotes and cardiospermun halicacabum, the most palatable species were Vossia cuspidata, Viteveria flavibarbis, Digitaria horizontalis, Eichornia crassipes in decreasing order. There was significant differences in the pH value of soils in the four sampling stations. The pH value for Abinsi (6.50) and Makurdi (6.68) were not significantly different from those of Gbaji (7.70) and Gbajimba (7.68). This is interesting in that the gradient along the river would have indicated otherwise. The potassium content of the soil in the four sampling stations did not indicate any significant differences as well as the phosphorus content of the soil. The potassium content of the soil ranged from 2.74Mg/kg in Makurdi to 2.78Mg/kg in Abinsi while the phosphorus content was between 0.46 Mg/kg for Gbaji to 0.72Mg/kg in Abinsi. The soil Nitrogen content indicate significant differences in the four sampling stations in the study area. The value in Abinsi (3.74Mg/kg) and Gbajimba (4.10Mg/kg) are significantly different from those of Gbaji (5.12mg/kg) and Makurdi (4.22Mg/kg) and Abinsi-Gbajimba and that of Gbaji. The soil parameter in the four sampling stations relate with the plant species richness of the stations and agrees with the report of FAO (2018) that soils and vegetation have a reciprocal relationship.