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Effect of aspect & altitude on soil characteristics in forest soils of mawar range of langate forest division

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Title Effect of aspect & altitude on soil characteristics in forest soils of mawar range of langate forest division
 
Creator Bangroo, Shabir Ahmed
 
Contributor Najar, G.R.
 
Subject Agriudolls, Eutrochrepts, Forest, Hapludalfs, and Udothents
 
Description Forests occupy a pivotal place in restoring the ecological balance of all
ecosystems and healthy soil is an important component of the forest ecosystem.
The inventory and assessment of the forest soil resource provide critical baseline
information on forest health and productivity, especially in the face of continued
natural and human disturbance. In order to meet the above objective this study
evaluated soils of the Mawer forest range of Langate forest division. Twelve
representative soil profiles were selected on the basis of variation in apparent soil
colour, topography, altitude and aspect and 32 composite surface samples four
from each eight existing forest compartments were studied for evaluation of soil
characteristics and nutrient status. The excavated soil profiles were thoroughly
examined for morphological characteristics and horizon wise soil samples were
collected for laboratory analysis. The profiles were found to be of A-B or A-C
type, with either well developed sub-surface diagnostic argillic horizon (Bt) in
profiles on moderately steep sloping facing north and the cambic horizon in
profiles on steeply sloping facing north and south. The profiles on higher
elevation with moderately sloping to moderately steep sloping showed profile
development as compared to steeply sloping to very steeply sloping profiles of
lower elevation. The texture showed variation with increase in the depth of the
soil pedon. Generally the soil texture changed from silty loam to loam. The pH
was slightly acidic to alkaline in pedons facing southern aspect and alkaline in the northern aspect facing pedons. Electrical conductivity in all the profiles was in
normal range. The organic carbon content in the profiles facing north was found
higher as compared to south facing pedons. The cation exchange capacity of north
facing pedons was also found higher than south facing pedons and it showed
generally an increasing trend with the depth of soil pedon. The exchange complex
was dominated by Ca2+ followed by Mg2+ and K+, respectively. Available
nutrients were found to be higher on southern aspect and were found to be
significantly correlated with pH and organic carbon. Clay mineralogy revealed the
dominance of illite followed by mixed layer, hydroxyl interlayered vermiculites,
smectite, chlorite, kaolinite and some amount of quartz and feldspar. The soils are
classified as Agriudolls, Eutrochrepts, Hapludalfs, Haploudolls and Udothents at
great group level.
 
Date 2016-08-20T08:52:24Z
2016-08-20T08:52:24Z
2013
 
Type Thesis
 
Identifier http://krishikosh.egranth.ac.in/handle/1/73099
 
Language en
 
Format application/pdf
 
Publisher SKUAST