MINERAL STATUS OF SOILS AND FORAGE IN THE MOLE NATIONAL-PARK, GHANA AND IMPLICATIONS FOR WILDLIFE NUTRITION

Geochemical mapping of soils and selected plant species has been carried out in the Mole National Park, Ghana. The distribution of the essential nutrients: cobalt, copper and manganese is largely controlled by bedrock geology, while the geochemical dispersion of Ca, I, Fe, Mg, Mo, P, K, Se, Na and Zn has been modified by soil and hydromorphic processes. From selective extraction experiments, Fe, Mn and Co are found to be largely fixed in the soil mineral fraction. Larger proportions of Cu, I, Mo, Se and Zn are EDTA extractable and have a high chelation potential. Cobalt, Cu and Mn were preferentially concentrated in grass species while molybdenum and selenium are concentrated in browse plants. Copper uptake is antagonistic to Fe, Mo and Zn accumulation in all plant and grass samples. Similarly, Se and Mn appear antagonistic and Fe uptake is antagonistic to Co, Cu, Mn, Mo and Zn. The low concentration of P points to a potential dietary deficiency of this element throughout the park. Cobalt deficiency may also occur due to a low extractability of these elements in the soils and low concentration in plants. However, the lack of data on the elemental requirements of wildlife allows only tentative conclusions to be drawn.