Effect of quarry rehabilitation on soil microbial enzyme activities and their correlation with soil chemical properties along the coast of Kenya
Paper Details
Effect of quarry rehabilitation on soil microbial enzyme activities and their correlation with soil chemical properties along the coast of Kenya
Abstract
Limestone quarrying causes substantial land degradation through vegetation loss, soil depletion, and alteration of soil profiles and ecological processes. Assessing rehabilitation progress is therefore important for determining whether degraded quarry sites are recovering toward functional and self-sustaining ecosystems. However, information on the combined use of soil chemical properties and microbial enzyme activities as indicators of quarry rehabilitation remains limited along the Kenyan coast. This study assessed changes in selected soil chemical properties and microbial enzyme activities and their relationships across limestone quarries rehabilitated with nitrogen-fixing casuarina trees. Soil samples were collected from Bofa, Tezo, Vipingo, Haller Park, and Forest Trails across early (<10 years), intermediate (11–20 years), and mature (>20 years) rehabilitation stages, together with naturally recovering and virgin sites. Soil pH, NO₃⁻-N, NO₂⁻-N, NH₄⁺-N, PO₄³⁻, and cation exchange capacity (CEC) were determined, while amylase, cellulase, and protease activities were assayed. Data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA, Tukey’s HSD test, and Pearson correlation analysis. Rehabilitation significantly influenced most soil chemical properties, with pH generally remaining near neutral to slightly alkaline. Mature Vipingo recorded 4332.189 µmol/L NO₃⁻-N and 239.647 µmol/L PO₄³⁻, while mature Forest Trails recorded the highest CEC within that site at 165.8 cmol(+)/kg. At Haller Park, mature sites recorded amylase, cellulase, and protease activities of 10.43, 12.98, and 2.62 µmol/min/mL, respectively. CEC was positively correlated with all three enzymes at most sites, whereas nitrate and nitrite relationships were less consistent. Overall, quarry rehabilitation improved soil chemical and biological functioning, indicating that CEC, ammonium, phosphate, and microbial enzyme activities can serve as complementary indicators for monitoring rehabilitation progress and ecosystem recovery.
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Tunje Mwamuye Pole*, Mwakio Tole, Suhaila Hashim, Hosea Masaki, 2026. Effect of quarry rehabilitation on soil microbial enzyme activities and their correlation with soil chemical properties along the coast of Kenya. Int. J. Agron. Agric. Res., 29(3), 1-14.
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