Assessing the impact of soil moisture and land surface temperature on grasslands in Bundelkhand region of India

Abstract

The present study evaluated the physical as well as chemical vulnerability of the grasslands in the Bundelkhand region using a comprehensive approach. The study revealed a significant decrease in grassland cover from 2014 to 2019 and a conforming effect on the moisture content of the soil, especially in the northern region, where it depeleted considerably. A very large part of the region is vulnerable to soil acidification, with existance of mild alkaline conditions, which might further change the cation exchange capacity in terms of nutrient retention. The dominanace of kaolinite as a clay mineral increased the possibility of in-congruent silicate weathering of plagioclase and feldspar, if further acidification of soil occurs. To relate the sensitivity of the active processes with the moisture avaliability in the region, downscaling of soil moisture was done at a spatial resolution of 1 km using LST and NDVI. The study outlined the importance of proper soil managmenet and prevention of sodic conditions, as a necessary step towards mitigating the harsh physical environment, for the sustenance of grasslands in the region.