Obenade Moses, Echem Samuel Ogba and Agwu Jacob Parkins
Abstract
This research, a comparative study of spatial drivers of soil quality variability: in South-East and South- South regions of Nigeria and implications for regional development policies aims to comparatively assesses nd models the dominant drivers of soil quality variability in the South-East and South-South regions of Nigeria using multivariate and regression-based modeling approaches with some specific objectives to characterize and compare the physicochemical and textural properties of soils in the South-East and South-South regions; to examine relationships among soil quality indicators within each region using correlation analysis; to identify and compare dominant soil quality drivers in both regions using principal component analysis; to develop region-specific regression models that quantify the influence of key soil properties on selected soil quality indicators among others. By integrating descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, principal component analysis (PCA), and multiple regression modeling, the study identified both shared and region-specific soil processes governing soil quality under humid tropical conditions. Despite differences in geomorphology, hydrology, and climatic intensity between the two regions, the results demonstrate that soil quality variability is structured by a limited number of dominant and interacting drivers. These drivers operate within a common pedogenic framework typical of southern Nigeria, while their relative strengths vary in response to regional environmental conditions. This finding supports the use of comparative modeling approaches for understanding soil system behavior at the regional scale. This study therefore provides a scientifically robust comparative assessment of soil quality variability across the South-East and South-South regions of Nigeria. By identifying and modeling dominant soil quality drivers, it advances understanding of soil system behavior in humid tropical environments and demonstrates the value of comparative, process-based modeling approaches for regional soil assessment. The findings offer a solid foundation for future research and contribute to evidence-based soil management and land-use planning across southern Nigeria.