Soluble Bases and CEC Variation across Undisturbed and Disturbed Coastal Forests in Tanzania

Understanding of different levels of soil calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), potassium (K), sodium (Na),
cation exchange capacity (CEC), and percentage base saturation (BS), is important in the
management of forest ecosystems. However, there is limited documentation on the status of these
elements in the undisturbed forest sites (CFS) crop-agriculture (ADS) and livestock grazing (DGS)
disturbances in the tropical coastal forests. This chapter attempts to address this deficit by presenting
soil fertility based on exchangeable bases’ status and variations across undisturbed forest sites (used
as a control), crop-agriculture and livestock disturbed sites in the coastal zone of Tanzania. The
chapter aims to add knowledge on the management of tropical coastal forests. Indeed, this chapter
shows that crop-agriculture and livestock grazing disturb soil chemical properties in tropical coastal
forests. Therefore, it is essential to protect undisturbed forest while putting more efforts to restore the
disturbed sites for sustainable forest management along the coastal areas.