Journal of Forest and Environmental Science

Institute of Forest Science, kangwon National University (강원대학교 산림과학연구소)
권호 표지
DOI QR코드

DOI QR Code

Soil Chemical Properties - Variation with Altitude and Forest Composition: A Case Study of Kedarnath Wildlife Sanctuary, Western Himalaya (India)

  • Malik, Zubair A. (Department of Botany and Microbiology, HNB Garhwal University) ;
  • Haq, Shiekh Marifatul (Department of Botany, University of Kashmir)
  • Received : 2021.03.29
  • Accepted : 2021.09.22
  • Published : 2022.03.31
Download PDF
⟨ Previous Next ⟩

Abstract

The present study was carried out to evaluate the chemical properties of soil in relation to forest structure and composition at different altitudes (900-2,600 m asl) in a part of Western Himalaya. The composite soil samples were taken from three (viz. upper, middle and lower) depths. The soils of the whole study area were acidic in nature (pH=4.90-5.51). Contents of Nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (P), Potassium (K), Carbon (C) and soil organic matter (SOM) showed much fluctuation during different seasons of year. Nitrogen content showed significant positive correlations with altitude (r=0.924, p<0.05) and different community parameters like species diversity (r=0.892, p<0.01) and species richness (r=0.941, p<0.05). Phosphorus exhibited direct correlations with carbon (r=0.637) while weak negative correlations with different community parameters like species richness & diversity, total basal cover (TBC), density and canopy cover. Carbon content and hence SOM showed direct correlations with Nitrogen (r=0.821, p<0.01); Phosphorus (r=0.637, ns) and Potassium (r=0.540, ns). But no significant relationship was observed between K content and species richness (p=0.30, r=-0.504); between K content and species diversity (p=0.14, r=-0.672); between P content and species diversity (p=0.29, r=-0.513) and species richness (p=0.23, r=-0.575). Among the different soil nutrients, only N showed a significant positive correlation with altitude while all others exhibited negative (but non-significant) correlation with it. The study revealed that the chemical properties affect and are reciprocally affected by forest structure and composition and that N rich soils of higher altitudes are best for the growth and development of forests.

Keywords

Acknowledgement

The work has been funded through fellowship granted to the first author by HNB Garhwal University and UGC, New Delhi, which is gratefully acknowledged. Authors are also highly thankful to the anonymous reviewers for their useful comments and suggestions on the earlier draft of this manuscript.

References

  1. Aber JD, Melillo JM, McClaugherty CA. 1990. Predicting long-term patterns of mass loss, nitrogen dynamics, and soil organic matter formation from initial fine litter chemistry in temperate forest ecosystems. Canadian J Bot 68: 2201-2208. https://doi.org/10.1139/b90-287
  2. Adams PW, Sidle RC. 1987. Soil conditions in three recent landslides in Southeast Alaska. For Ecol Manag 18: 93-102. https://doi.org/10.1016/0378-1127(87)90136-8
  3. Ahmad I, Ahmad MSA, Hussain M, Ashraf M, Ashraf MY. 2011. Spatio-temporal variations in soil characteristics and nutrient availability of an open scrub type rangeland in the sub-mountainous himalayan tract of Pakistan. Pak J Bot 43: 565-571.
  4. Awasthi KD, Singh BR, Sitaula BK. 2005. Profile carbon and nutrient levels and management effect on soil quality indicators in the Mardi watershed of Nepal. Acta Agric Scand Sect B Soil Plant Sci 55: 192-204.
  5. Bahuguna YM, Gairola S, Semwal DP, Uniyal PL, Bhatt AB. 2012. Soil physico-chemical characteristics of bryophytic vegetation residing Kedarnath Wildlife Sanctuary (KWLS), Garhwal Himalaya, Uttarakhand, India. Indian J Sci Technol 5: 2547-2553.
  6. Bangroo SA. 2013. Effect of aspect and altitude on soil characteristics in forest soils of Mawar range of Langate forest division. PhD thesis. Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, Ranbir Singh Pura, India. (in English)
  7. Basumatary A, Bordoloi PK. 1992. Forms of Potassium in Some Soils of Assam in Relation to Soil Properties. J Indian Soc Soil Sci 40: 443-446.
  8. Bhatnagar HP. 1965. Soils from different quality Sal (Shorea robusta) forests of Uttar Pradesh. Trop Ecol 6: 56-62.
  9. Bhattarai KP, Mandal TN. 2012. Soil microbial biomass in relation to fine root in Kiteni hill Sal forest of Ilam, eastern Nepal. Nepal J Biosci 2: 80-87. https://doi.org/10.3126/njbs.v2i0.7493
  10. Boruah HC, Nath AK. 1992. Potassium Status in Three Major Soil Orders of Assam. J Indian Soc Soil Sci 40: 559-561.
  11. Bremner JM, Mulvaney CS. 1982. Nitrogen total. In: Methods of Soil Analysis: Part 2 Chemical and Microbiological Properties (Page AL, Miller RH, Kieney DR, eds). 2nd ed. American Society of Agronomy, Madison, pp 595-624.
  12. Charan G, Bharti VK, Jadhav SE, Kumar S, Acharya S, Kumar P, Gogoi D, Srivastava RB. 2013. Altitudinal variations in soil physico-chemical properties at cold desert high altitude. J Soil Sci Plant Nutr 13: 267-277.
  13. Deb P, Debnath P, Denis AF, Lepcha OT. 2019. Variability of soil physicochemical properties at different agroecological zones of Himalayan region: Sikkim, India. Environ Dev Sustain 21: 2321-2339. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10668-018-0137-8
  14. de Haan S. 1977. Humus, its formation, its relation with the mineral part of the soil and its significance for soil productivity. Soil Org Matter Stud 1: 21-30.
  15. Dejene T, Oria-de-Rueda JA, Martin-Pinto P. 2017. Fungal diversity and succession under Eucalyptus grandis plantations in Ethiopia. For Ecol Manag 405: 179-187. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2017.08.050
  16. Dimri BM, Singh SB, Banerjee SK, Singh B. 1987. Relation of Age and Dominance of Tree Species with Soil Chemical Attributes in Kalimpong and Kurseong Divisions of West Bengal. Indian For 113: 307-311.
  17. Donahue RL, Miller RW, Schickluna JC. 1983. Soils: An Introduction to Soils and Plant Growth. 5th ed. Prentice Hall of India, New Delhi.
  18. Eni DD, Iwara AI, Offiong RA. 2012. Analysis of Soil-Vegetation Interrelationships in a South-Southern Secondary Forest of Nigeria. Int J For Res 2012: 469326.
  19. Fonge BA, Tchetcha DJ, Nkembi L. 2013. Diversity, Distribution, and Abundance of Plants in Lewoh-Lebang in the Lebialem Highlands of Southwestern Cameroon. Int J Biodivers 2013: 642579.
  20. Gairola S, Sharma CM, Ghildiyal SK, Suyal S. 2012. Chemical properties of soils in relation to forest composition in moist temperate valley slopes of Garhwal Himalaya, India. Environmentalist 32: 512-523. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10669-012-9420-7
  21. Gaur UN, Raturi GP, Bhatt AB. 2005. Current vegetation pattern along glacial landscape in central (Garhwal) Himalaya, India. J Mt Sci 2: 255-264. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02973199
  22. Gupta MK, Sharma SD. 2008. Effect of tree plantation on soil properties, profile morphology and productivity index I Poplar in Uttarakhand. Ann For 16: 209-224.
  23. Haq SM, Malik ZA, Rahman IU. 2019a. Quantification and characterization of vegetation and functional trait diversity of the riparian zones in protected forest of Kashmir Himalaya, India. Nordic J Bot 37: 1-11.
  24. Haq SM, Rashid I, Khuroo AA, Malik ZA, Malik AH. 2019b. Anthropogenic disturbances alter community structure in the forests of Kashmir Himalaya. Trop Ecol 60: 6-15. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42965-019-00001-8
  25. Hejcmanova-Nezerkova P, Hejcman M. 2006. A canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) of the vegetation-environment relationships in Sudanese savannah, Senegal. South Afr J Bot 72: 256-262. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sajb.2005.09.002
  26. Hossain MI, Kashem MA, Osman KT. 2014. Fertility Status of Some Forested Soils of Chittagong Hill Tracts, Bangladesh. Int J Latest Res Sci Technol 3: 82-87.
  27. Hu L, Xiang Z, Wang G, Rafique R, Liu W, Wang C. 2016. Changes in soil physicochemical and microbial properties along elevation gradients in two forest soils. Scand J For Res 31: 242-253. https://doi.org/10.1080/02827581.2015.1125522
  28. Ilorkar VM, Totey NG. 2001. Floristic diversity and soil studies in Navegaon National Park (Maharashtra). Indian J For 24: 442-447.
  29. Jha MN, Rathore RK, Pande P. 1984. Soil factor affecting the natural regeneration of silver fir and spruce in Himachal Pradesh. Indian For 110: 293-298.
  30. Jina BS, Bohra CS, Lodhiyal LS, Sah P. 2011. Soil characteristics in Oak and Pine forests of Indian Central Himalaya. E-Int Sci Res J 3: 19-22.
  31. Khera N, Kumar A, Ram J, Tewari A. 2001. Plant biodiversity assessment in relation to disturbances in midelevational forest of Central Himalaya, India. Trop Ecol 42: 83-95.
  32. Kumar M, Singh H, Bhat JA, Rajwar GS. 2013. Altitudinal Variation in Species Composition and Soil Properties of Banj Oak and Chir Pine Dominated Forests. J For Sci 2013; 29: 29-37.
  33. Kumar S, Kumar M, Sheikh MA. 2010. Effect of Altitudes on Soil and Vegetation Characteristics of Pinus roxburghii Forest in Garhwal Himalaya. J Adv Lab Res Biol 1: 130-133.
  34. Leskiw LA. 1998. Land Capability Classification for Forest Ecosystems in the Oil Stands Region- Revised. Alberta Environmental Protection, Edmonton, AB.
  35. Malik ZA, Bhat JA, Ballabha R, Bussmann RW, Bhatt AB. 2015. Ethnomedicinal plants traditionally used in health care practices by inhabitants of Western Himalaya. J Ethnopharmacol 172: 133-144. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jep.2015.06.002
  36. Malik ZA, Bhat JA, Bhatt AB. 2014. Forest resource use pattern in Kedarnath wildlife sanctuary and its fringe areas (a case study from Western Himalaya, India). Energy Policy 67: 138-145. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enpol.2013.12.016
  37. Malik ZA, Bhatt AB. 2015. Phytosociological Analysis of Woody Species in Kedarnath Wildlife Sanctuary and Its Adjoining Areas in Western Himalaya, India. J For Environ Sci 31: 149-163.
  38. Malik ZA, Bhatt AB. 2016. Regeneration status of tree species and survival of their seedlings in Kedarnath Wildlife Sanctuary and its adjoining areas in Western Himalaya, India. Trop Ecol 57: 677-690.
  39. Malik ZA, Haq SM, Bussmann RW, Bhat JA, Bhatt AB. 2021. Altitudinal Variation in Soil Properties with Reference to Forest Structure and Composition in Western Himalaya. Indian For 147: 288-301.
  40. Malik ZA, Pandey R, Bhatt AB. 2016. Anthropogenic disturbances and their impact on vegetation in Western Himalaya, India. J Mt Sci 13: 69-82. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11629-015-3533-7
  41. Malik ZA. 2014. Phytosociological behaviour, anthropogenic disturbances and regeneration status along an altitudinal gradient in Kedarnath Wildlife Sanctuary (KWLS) and its adjoining areas. PhD thesis. HNB Garhwal University, Srinagar, India. (in English)
  42. Merwin HD, Peech M. 1951. Exchangeability of Soil Potassium in the Sand, Silt, and Clay Fractions as Influenced by the Nature of the Complementary Exchangeable Cation. Soil Sci Soc Am J 15: 125-128. https://doi.org/10.2136/sssaj1951.036159950015000C0026x
  43. Nadeau MB, Sullivan TP. 2015. Relationships between Plant Biodiversity and Soil Fertility in a Mature Tropical Forest, Costa Rica. Int J For Res 2015: 732946.
  44. Nazir T, Netajini N. 2014. Economic Valuation of NPK and Soil Vegetation Interrelationship in Three Forest Types of Dehradun. Nat Sci 12: 80-87.
  45. Nazir T. 2009. Estimation of site quality of important temperate forest covers on the basis of soil nutrients and growing stock in Garhwal Himalaya. PhD thesis. HNB Garhwal University, Srinagar, India. (in English)
  46. Olsen SR, Cole CV, Watanabe FS, Dean LA. 1954. Estimation of Available Phosphorus in Soils by Extraction with Sodium Bicarbonate. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, D.C.
  47. Pandey AN, Pathak PC, Singh JS. 1983. Water, sediment and nutrient movement in forested and non-forested catchments in Kumaun Himalaya. For Ecol Manag 7: 19-29. https://doi.org/10.1016/0378-1127(83)90054-3
  48. Pandey NC, Tewari LM, Joshi GC, Upreti BM. 2018. Physico-chemical characterization of Oak, Pine and Sal forest soil profiles of Betalghat Region of Kumaun Himalaya. Eurasian J Soil Sci 7: 261-272. https://doi.org/10.18393/ejss.435082
  49. Paudel S, Sah JP. 2003. Physiochemical characteristics of soil in tropical sal (Shorea robusta Gaertn.) forests in eastern Nepal. Him J Sci 1: 107-110.
  50. Raina AK, Gupta MK. 2009. Soil and vegetation type studies in relation to parent material of Garhwal Himalayas, Uttarakhand. Ann For 17: 71-82.
  51. Razak SA, Haron NW, Alias MA. 2018. Physico-chemical characteristics of soil at sungai udang forest reserve, Malacca, peninsular Malaysia. Pak J Bot 50: 711-715.
  52. Rieger I, Kowarik I, Ziche D, Wellbrock N, Cierjacks A. 2019. Linkages between Phosphorus and Plant Diversity in Central European Forest Ecosystems- Complementarity or Competition? Forests 10: 1156. https://doi.org/10.3390/f10121156
  53. Robertson GP, Vitousek PM. 1981. Nitrification Potentials in Primary and Secondary Succession. Ecology 62: 376-386. https://doi.org/10.2307/1936712
  54. Saha S, Rajwar GS, Kumar M. 2018. Soil properties along altitudinal gradient in Himalayan temperate forest of Garhwal region. Acta Ecol Sin 38: 1-8. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chnaes.2017.02.003
  55. Schoenholtz SH, Van Miegroet H, Burger JA. 2000. A review of chemical and physical properties as indicators of forest soil quality: challenges and opportunities. For Ecol Manag 138: 335-356. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0378-1127(00)00423-0
  56. Semwal DP, Uniyal PL, Bahuguna YM, Bhatt AB. 2009. Soil nutrient storage under different forest types in a part of Central Himalayas, India. Ann For 17: 43-52.
  57. Semwal S. 2006. Studies on phytosociology, diversity patterns and competition along an altitudinal gradient in a part of Lesser Himalaya in Garhwal, Uttaranchal. PhD thesis. HNB Garhwal University, Srinagar, India. (in English)
  58. Shameem SA, Kangroo NI, Bhat GA. 2011. Comparative assessment of edaphic features and herbaceous diversity in lower Dachigam national park, Kashmir, Himalaya. J Ecol Nat Environ 3: 196-204.
  59. Shannon CE, Weaver W. 1963. The Mathematical Theory of Communication. University of Illinois Press, Urbana, IL, 117 pp.
  60. Sharma CM, Gairola S, Ghildiyal SK, Suyal S. 2010. Physical Properties of Soils in Relation to Forest Composition in Moist Temperate Valley Slopes of the Central Western Himalaya. J For Sci 26: 117-129.
  61. Sharma CM, Ghildiyal SK, Gairola S, Suyal S. 2009. Vegetation structure, composition and diversity in relation to the soil characteristics of temperate mixed broad-leaved forest along an altitudinal gradient in Garhwal Himalaya. Indian J Sci Technol 2: 39-45. https://doi.org/10.17485/ijst/2009/v2i7.11
  62. Simpson EH. 1949. Measurement of Diversity. Nature 163: 688-690. https://doi.org/10.1038/163688a0
  63. Singh AK, Prasad A, Singh B. 1986. Availability of phosphorus and potassium and its relationship with some important physico-chemical properties of some forest soils of Pali Range, (Shahdol, M.P.). Indian For 112: 1094-1103.
  64. Singh H, Malik ZA, Baluni P. 2017. Forest Resource Use Pattern in Relation to Socioeconomic Status (A Case Study from Two Altitudinal Zones of Western Himalaya, India). Indian For 143: 334-343.
  65. Soethe N, Lehmann J, Engels C. 2008. Nutrient availability at different altitudes in a tropical montane forest in Ecuador. J Trop Ecol 24: 397-406. https://doi.org/10.1017/s026646740800504x
  66. Teissen H. 1989. Methods for characterizing soil phosphorus. In: Tropical Soil Biology and Fertility: A Handbook of Methods (Anderson JM, Ingram JSI, eds). CAB International, Wallingford, 171 pp.
  67. Ter Braak CJF, Smilauer P. 2002. CANOCO reference manual and CanoDraw for Windows user's guide: software for canonical community ordination (version 4.5). Microcomputer Power, Ithaca, NY, 500 pp.
  68. Thakur U, Bisht NS. 2020. Physico-chemical properties of soil in a protected area network (chur peak): churdhar wildlife sanctuary in Western Himalaya, India. Plant Arch 20: 7533-7542.
  69. Tiwari SD, Joshi R, Rawat A. 2013. Physico-chemical properties of soils in cool-temperate forests of the "Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve" in Uttarakhand (India). J Ecol Nat Environ 5: 109-118. https://doi.org/10.5897/JENE12.097
  70. Tothmeresz B. 1995. Comparison of different methods for diversity ordering. J Veg Sci 6: 283-290. https://doi.org/10.2307/3236223
  71. Walkley A. 1935. An Examination of Methods for Determining Organic Carbon and Nitrogen in Soils. J Agric Sci 25: 598-609. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0021859600019687
  72. Whittaker RH. 1972. Evolution and Measurement of Species Diversity. Taxon 21: 213-251. https://doi.org/10.2307/1218190