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Chapter 5 - Soils: Foundations of Fertility

from Part I - The Physical Cradle: Land Forms, Geology, Climate, Hydrology and Soils

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 September 2021

Norman Owen-Smith
Norman Owen-Smith
Affiliation:
University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg
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Summary

This chapter describes the soil features influencing fertility and hydrology, including clay contents and mineral nutrient retention. Volcanic rocks produce clay-rich soils that retain their inherent fertility under low rainfall conditions. Coarsely sandy soils have low nutrient-holding capacity, especially under high rainfall, but allow greater water penetration. Duricrusts restrict water infiltration on ancient surfaces. Soil features are modified further by termites and human settlements. Eastern Africa has unusually fertile soils for the tropics due to its relatively drier climate and widespread volcanic influences.

Keywords

clay typescation holding capacityphosphorus availabilityduricrustshydrologywater retention catenas.
Type
Chapter
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Only in Africa
The Ecology of Human Evolution
 , pp. 49 - 60
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2021

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References

Suggested Further Reading

Jones, A, et al. (2013) Soil Atlas of Africa. European Commission, Publications of the European Union, Luxembourg.Google Scholar

References

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