Author(s):

S Balaji Naik, Sourav Ranjan Mohapatra, Dr. Vimal Chauhan and Kapoor

Abstract: The present study aimed to analyze the influence of forest vegetation and soil depth on soil physio-chemical characteristics of Col. Sher Jung National Park in Sirmour district of Himachal Pradesh.In each community, three replicates of composite soil samples were collected from two different soil layers(0-20 cm, 20-40 cm). Different parameters such as bulk density (g cm^-3), soil pH, soil electrical conductivity (dS m^-1) and soil organic carbon (%) was estimated. Results revealed that maximum bulk density was recorded under the pure Shorea robusta forest and minimum was observed under Eucalyptus tereticornis forest plantation. Further, bulk density of soil in every forest communities was significantly lower at depth 0-20 cm as compared to 20-40 cm depth of soil. Results regarding soil pH revealed that forest area was more or less neutral in both the depths of Eucalyptus tereticornis forest plantation and strongly acidic in pure Shorea robusta community. Soil organic carbon (%) was recorded maximum under the Eucalyptus tereticornis forest plantation and minimum under pure Shorea robusta forest community. Further, organic carbon (%) in all forest communities was significantly higher at 0-20 cm soil depth than the 20-40 cm depth of soil.Soil electrical conductivity value decreases with the increase in soil depth in all the vegetation types. Reported observation revealed that maximum electrical conductivity was recorded under the pure Shorea robusta forest community and minimum under Eucalyptus tereticornis forest plantation.

DOI: 10.22271/phyto.2020.v9.i2am.11222

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