Effect of Nypa Fruticans and Mangrove Species on Soil Properties in Eastern Obolo, Akwa Ibom State

The study was conducted to evaluate the effect of nypa and mangrove on soil properties to determine whether nypa in displacing mangrove was degrading or aggrading the underlying soil, in Okorombokho Community in Eastern Obolo Area of Akwa Ibom State. The study was carried out in three contiguous loca- tions, namely, mangrove (M) forest, nypa and mangrove (N&M) forest, and bare plot with neither mangrove nor nypa as control (C). In each location, undisturbed and bulk soil samples were collected from the 0-15 cm and 15-30 cm depth at 20 m intervals along a 60-m transect, for soil physical and chemical properties and micronutrients concentrations. The result showed that among the particle-size fractions, sand was significantly (p