Physico-chemical characterization of Oak, Pine and Sal forest soil profiles of Betalghat Region of Kumaun Himalaya

Abstract

Soil is one of the basic natural resources on which all forms of terrestrial life co-exist. The soils of three forest types i.e., banj-oak (Quercus leucotrichophora A. Camus) chir-pine (Pinus roxburghii Sargent) and sal (Shorea robusta Gaertn. f.) of Betalghat block, Nainital District, (Kumaun Himalaya). Soils were drawn from three depths viz. 0-10 cm, 11-20 cm, 21-30 cm. The present study were studied resulted to soil physico-chemical properties i.e. maximum soil texture (sand 34.30 %, silt 57.21 % and clay 33.23 %), soil moisture (12.6 %), bulk density (1.43 g.cm^-3), porosity (52.06%), water holding capacity (69.27%) and the maximum values of chemical analysis i.e. pH (6.80), total carbon (3.82 %), organic matter (6.57 %), total nitrogen (0.36 %), available potassium (267 mg/kg) and available phosphorous (62 mg/kg). Banj-oak forest shows rich physical properties followed by sal and chir-pine forest while chir-pine forest shows rich chemical properties in compared to sal and banj-oak forest.

Keywords

• Soil physico-chemical characterization,Betalghat region,banj-oak,chir-pine,sal forest,Kumaun Himalaya

References

1. Bharti, M., Tewari, L., Tewari, A., Joshi, N., 2016. Impact of Alien invasive species on soil physiochemical characteristics in tropical Sal forest, Uttarakhand, India. Journal of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry Research 3(11): 1057-1061.
2. Bhatnagar, H.P., 1965. Soils from different quality sal (Shorea robusta Gaertn.) forests of Uttar Pradesh. Tropical Ecology 6: 56-62.
3. Bhatt, V.P., Purohit, V.K., 2009. Floristic structure and phytodiversity along an elevational gradient in Peepalkoti-Joshimath area of Garhwal Himalaya, India. Nature and Science 7(9): 63-74.
4. Bhatt, D.D., 1981. Nepal Himalaya and change. In: Himalaya: Aspects of change. Laal JS (ed), Oxford University Press. New Delhi, India. pp. 253-777.
5. Black, C.A., 1965. Methods of soil analysis. Part 1 Physical and mineralogical properties, American Society of Agronomy, No:9. Madison, WI, USA.
6. Champan, J.L., Reiss, M.J., 1992. Ecology principles and application. Cambridge University Press. Cambridge, UK. 294p.
7. Champion, H.G., Seth, S.K., 1968. A revised survey of the forest types of India. Manager of Publications, New Delhi. India. 404p.
8. Deka J, Tripathi, O.P., Khan, M.L., 2012. High dominance of Shorea robusta Gaertn. f. in alluvial plain kamrup sal forest of Assam, N. E. India. International Journal of Ecosystem 2(4): 67-73.

9. Gairola, S., Sharma, C.M., Ghildiyal, S.K., Suyal, S., 2012. Chemical properties of soils in relation to forest composition in moist temperate valley slopes of Garhwal Himalaya, India. The Environmentalist 32(4): 512-523.
10. Gupta, R.P., Dhakshinamoorthy, C., 1980. Procedures for physical analysis of soils and collection of agrometerological data. Indian Agricultural Research Institute, Division of Agricultural Physics, New Delhi, India.
11. Hazelton, P.A., Murphy, B.W., 2007. Interpreting soil test results: What do all the numbers mean? CSIRO Publishing, Melbourne 152 p.
12. Ilorker, V.M, Totey, N.G., 2001. Floristic diversity and soil studies in Navegaon National Park (Maharashtra). Indian Journal of Forestry 24(4): 442-447.
13. Jackson, M.L., 1958. Soil Chemical Analysis, Prentice Hall Inc. Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, USA. 498p.
14. Jina, B.S., Bohra, C.S., Lodhiyal, L.S., Sah, P., 2011. Soil characteristics in oak and pine forests of Indian Central Himalaya. E-International Scientific Research Journal 3(1): 19–22.
15. Johnston, A.E., 1986. Soil organic matter, effects on soil and crops. Soil Use and Management 2(3): 97-105.
16. Joshi, G., Negi, G.C.S., 2015. Physico-chemical properties along soil profile of two dominant forest types in Western Himalaya. Current Science 109 (4):798-803.
17. Joshi, P.C., Pandey, P., Kaushal, B.R., 2013. Analysis of some Physico-chemical parameters of soil from a protected forest in Uttarakhand. Nature and Science 11(1):136-140.
18. Khera, N., Kumar, A., Ram, J., Tewari, A., 2001. Plant biodiversity assessment in relation to disturbances in mid elevational forest of Central Himalaya, India. Tropical Ecology 42(1): 83-95.
19. Kjeldahl, J., 1883. Neue Methode zur Bestimmung des Stickstoffs in organischen Körpern. Zeitschrift für analytische Chemie 22(1): 366-382.
20. Kotiyal, P.B., Sinha, S., 2015. Assessment of nutrient status and soil health under various landuses of Tehri District of Uttarakhand. eJournal of Applied Forest Ecology 3(2): 43-47.
21. Kumar, M., Sharma, C.M, Rajwar, G.S., 2004. Physico-chemical properties of forest soil along altitudinal gradient in Garhwal Himalaya. Journal of Hill Research 17(2):60-64.
22. Kumar, M., Singh, H., Bhat, J.A., Rajwar, G.S., 2013. Altitudinal variation in species composition and soil properties of Banj Oak and Chir Pine dominated forests. Journal of Forest and Environmental Science 29 (1): 29-37.
23. Mehta, J.P., Shreshthamani, Bhatt, V.P., 2014. Analysis of the physico-chemical properties of the soil and climatic attribute on vegetation in Central Himalaya. Nature and Science 12 (11): 46-54.
24. Olsen, S.R., Sommers, L.E.,1982. Phosphorus. In: Methods of soil analysis. Part 2 Chemical and microbiological properties. 2nd edition. Page, A.L. (Ed.). American Society of Agronomy, No. 9, Madison, WI, USA. pp. 403-430.
25. Pastor, J., Aber, J.D., McClangherty C.A., Melillo, J.M.,1984. Aboveground production and N and P cycling along a nitrogen mineralization gradient on Blackhawk Island, Wisconsin. Ecology 65(1): 256-268.
26. Paudel, S., Sah, J.P., 2003. Physiochemical characteristics of soil in tropical sal (Shorea robusta Gaertn.) forests in eastern Nepal. Himalayan Journal of Science 1(2): 107-110.
27. Piper, C.S., 1950. Soil and plant analysis. Interscience Publishers Inc., New York, USA.
28. Piper, C.S., 1966. Soil and plant analysis (Asian edition). Hans Publishers., Bombay, India. pp. 223-237.
29. Sapkota, I.P., Tigabu, M., Odén, P.C., 2009. Spatial distribution, advanced regeneration and stand structure of Nepalese Sal (Shorea robusta) forests subject to disturbances of different intensities. Forest Ecology and Management 257(9): 1966-1975.
30. Satya, Upreti, D.K., Nayaka, S., 2005. Shorea robusta- an excellent host tree for lichen growth in India. Current Science 89 (4): 594–595.
31. Semwal, D.D., Uniyal, P.L., Bahuguan, Y.M., Bhatt, A.B., 2009. Soil nutrient storage under different forest types in a part of Central Himalayas, India. Ann. For 17(1): 43-52.
32. Sharma, C.M., Gairola, S., Ghildiyal, S.K., Suyal, S., 2010. Physical properties of soils in relation to forest composition in moist temperate valley slopes of the Central Western Himalaya. Journal of Forest Science 26(2): 117-129.
33. Sheikh, A. M., Kumar, M., 2010. Nutrient status and economic analysis of soils in oak and pine forests in Garhwal Himalaya. Journal of American Science 6(2): 117-122.
34. Singh, H., Kumar, M., Sheikh, A.M., 2009. Distribution pattern of Oak and Pine along altitudinal gradients in Garhwal Himalaya. Nature and Science 7(11): 81-85.
35. Singh, J.S., Singh, S.P., 1987. Forest vegetation of the Himalaya. The Botanical Review 53(1): 80-192.
36. Tewari, G., Khati, D., Rana, L., Yadav, P. Pande, C., Bhatt, S., Kumar, V., Joshi, N., Joshi, P.K., 2016. Assessment of physicochemical properties of soils from different land use systems in Uttarakhand, India. Journal of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry Research 3(11): 1114-1118.
37. Upreti, B.M., Tewari, L., Tewari, A., Joshi, N., 2016. Physiochemical characterization of soil collected from sacred and non sacred forests of Uttarakhand: A comparative study. Journal of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry Research 3(11): 989-992.
38. Walkley, A., Black, I.A., 1934. An examination of the Degtjareff method for determining soil organic matter, and a proposed modification of the chronic acid titration method. Soil Science 37(1): 29-38.