Journal ID : AMA-08-04-2022-11288
[This article belongs to Volume - 53, Issue - 04]
Total View : 455

Title : Soil Aggregate and Organic Carbon Fractions in the Foothill Himalayas Under Different Landuse Systems

Abstract :

Soil aggregates and organic matter are measured to be essential indicators of soil quality. The objective of this study was to determine landuse effects on the distribution of soil organic carbon (SOC) associated with aggregate size fractions. Bulk soil samples were collected from incremental soil depth (0-15, 15-30, 30-60 and 60-100 cm) under five landuse systems; forest, horticulture, agriculture, pasture and degraded lands. Soil samples collected from these landuse were analyzed for aggregate stability after dry and wet sieving into three aggregate size classes (2.0 mm, 2.0-0.25mm and <0.25 mm) and the concentration of SOC fractions in each landuse. Bulk densities were greater in degraded land (1.54-1.57 g cm-3) than agriculture lands (1.52-1.53g cm-3). The macro-aggregates (˃2.0 m) were higher in surface soil of pasture, agriculture and degraded whereas subsurface soil layer were higher in forest and horticulture land. Aggregate stability varied in the order of pasture˃forest˃horticulture˃agriculture ˃degraded lands in surface soil. SOC fraction decreased with increasing soil depth under different landuse systems. Our data supported the hypothesis that vegetation (fruit tree plantation) landuse systems and the proportion of aggregates are suitable indicators of SOC build-up and may therefore have a better potential for SOC sequestration than the degraded lands.

Full article