Open AccessSoil properties among Indian Central Himalayan agroecosystems as affected by altitude and size variations
Author(s) -
Charu Shahi,
SS Bargali,
Surendra Singh Bargali
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
international journal of agricultural and applied sciences (ijaas)
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 2582-8053
DOI - 10.52804/ijaas2021.218
Subject(s) - agroecosystem , altitude (triangle) , silt , soil water , bulk density , agronomy , soil fertility , environmental science , soil carbon , geography , biology , zoology , ecology , agriculture , mathematics , paleontology , geometry
The present study has been performed among Central Himalayan agroecosystems (AGEs) to analyze the changes in some physico- chemical properties of soils along four altitudes viz. very low (VLA), low (LA), mid (MA) and high altitude (HA). The AGEs were categorized into three size classes i.e. small, medium, and large based on the regional availability of landholding sizes. Results revealed that the size of the AGEs significantly affected only physical parameters of the soil while chemical parameters remain unaffected, this may be due to the regional similarity in management practices of AGEs which governed by the identical seasonal cropping patterns, local food selectivity and economic status of the peasant. The soil bulk density was recorded maximum at VLA (1.00 g cm-3) and decreased with increasing altitude and sizes of agroecosystem thus the correlations were significant. Water holding capacity depicted positive relation with porosity (r= 0.229, P HA (37.85 t ha-1) > LA (33.00 t ha-1) > VLA (30.16 t ha-1). Suitable management practices of higher altitudes reflected as the high fertility of the soil in those regions (SQI= HA> MA> LA> VLA) which must be followed by the farm managers of lower altitudes.