COMPARISON OF SOIL PROPERTIES , TREE, BASAL AREA AND ABOVE GROUND BIOMASS OF GRASSES AND SHRUBS AT THREE TOPOGRAPHIC POSITIONS OF A RESTORED WATERSHED.

Abstract

SOIL CHARACTERIZATION , THE NATURAL VEGETATION AND THEIR INTER- RELATIONS IS DESIRABLE FOR PROPER WATERSHED MANAGEMENT. MULTIVARIATE DIFFERENTIATION OF THREE TOPOGRAPHIC POSITIONS BY ANALYSING SOIL PROPERTIES, GRASS, SHRUB AND TREE SPECIES IN 96 QUADRATS OF A 75 HA SUB- WATERSHED LOCATED AT VILLAGE BUNGAIN AMBALA SHIWALIK FOOTHILLS , WAS PERFORMED. OVERALL ABOVE GROUND BIOMASS OF GRASSES WAS 3.6 TIMES MORE THAN THE STANDING BIOMASS OF SHRUBS. ABOVE GROUND BIOMASS OF GRASSES AND BASAL AREA OF TREES WAS HIGHEST IN THE TOE ( VALLEY) POSITION AND WAS FOUND TO BE QUIET DISTINCT FROM THE OTHER TWO TOPOGRAPHIC LOCATIONS BY DISCRIMINANT ANALYSIS. SOIL PHOSPHOROUS, pH, , BUTEA MONOSPERMA , ACACIA LEUCOCEPHALA AND MISCELLANEOUS GRASSES WERE IMPORTANT DISCRIMINATORS OF THE TOPOGRAPHIC DIFFERENTIATION. SOIL ORGANIC CARBON HAD POSITIVE CORRELATION AND POTASSIUM NEGATIVE WITH DISCRIMINANT FUNCTION SCORES OF ALL GRASS SPECIES. GRASS SPECIES WERE SIGNIFICANTLY POSITIVELY AND NEGATIVELY CORRELATED WITH THE COMBINED EFFECT OF TREES AND SHRUBS, RESPECTIVELY. IMPLICATIONS OF THESE RESULTS IN THE WATERSHED MANAGEMENT AND SOIL EROSION PREDICTION MODELS ARE DISCUSSED.