Evaluation of soil moisture in relation to climate variability across Umudike, South eastern Nigeria

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Abstract

The evaluation of soil moisture in relation to climate variability was carried out in Umudike,

Abia state. The objective of the study was to evaluate the relationship between soil moisture

and climatic parameters in Umudike. Moisture content (MC) was calculated using the

gravimetric method. Daily meteorological data used for this study were obtained from

the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration/National Centre for Environmental

Prediction (NOAA/NCEP) under the National Weather Service, United States of America.

The data were transformed subjected to regression analysis which was used to compare

the influence of climate variables on the measured soil heat transfer over a period of

time. Relative humility showed about 86.31% control over the variations of soil moisture

which means it has a strong, positive influence on the variation of soil moisture content.

Rainfall exhibited a significant positive impact, with approximately 69.04% control over

soil moisture variations, indicating that increased rainfall leads to higher soil moisture

levels. Sunlight duration played a vital role, showing a 57.43% influence in reducing soil

moisture content as sunlight duration increased. In contrast, wind speed had 1.01% which

is a very weak negative impact, with little to no significant effect on soil moisture content.

These results provide an understanding of the interplay between climatic variables and soil

moisture, offering valuable insights for environmental and agricultural practices. The study

recommends encouraging sustainable land use and conservation practices, like mulching

and organic manure application, can help mitigate soil moisture loss. Diversifying crops to

include those less sensitive to soil moisture variations can enhance resilience.

soil moisture, climate variations, regression analysis, hydrology