Carbon dioxide emissions and wetland soil physicochemical properties in Oguta Lake, Imo State, Nigeria

Wetlands contribute around 5 percent of the world's carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions via respiration, which is believed to be controlled by soil conditions. The objective of this study is to establish a link between the physicochemical parameters of marsh soil and CO2 respiration at Oguta lake point one. Standard procedures were used to assess the soil parameters, and an AZ 77535 CO2 gas analyzer was held at arm's length to determine the CO2 concentration at the sample location. The mean values for pH (5.03), temperature (28.16 oC), electrical conductivity (108.56 uS/cm), moisture content (17.83 percent), and organic matter were 5.03, 28.16, 108.56, 108.56, and 17.83, respectively (1.35 percent). The mean weekly [CO2] concentrations (564 13.5 to 580.72.2 13.03 ppm) were greater than the global average (370 ppm) and all locations surrounding the lake, including the control site (425 2.5 to 438.2 2.0 ppm). Positive relationships were identified between [CO2] and R2 values of (0.262), (0.370), (0.304), (0.294), and (0.056), respectively. This demonstrates that CO2 respiration is regulated by soil characteristics. A rise in soil characteristics corresponded to an increase in CO2 concentration. These findings contribute to our understanding of how soil characteristics might be adjusted to reduce soil respired CO2 and, consequently, wetland contributions to global warming.