Carbon storage, soil enrichment potential and bio-economic appraisal of different land use systems in sub-montane and low hills sub-tropical zone-I of Himachal Pradesh
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Date
2014
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YSPU
Abstract
The present study entitled “Carbon storage, soil enrichment potential and bio-economic appraisal of different land use systems in sub-montane and low hills sub-tropical zone-I of Himachal Pradesh” were carried out during 2011-2012. The experimental sites were selected randomly in three district viz., Kangra, Solan and Sirmaur and stratified in two altitudinal ranges viz., A1 (365-635 m a.s.l) and A2 (636-914 m as.l). Eight land use systems viz., agriculture, horticulture, agrisilvicultural, silvopastoral, agrihorticulture, agrihortisilvicultural, forest and grassland were selected, which were common in both altitudinal ranges. The plot size 50×20 m for trees, 10×10 m for shrubs and 1×1 m for herbs and crops were used for enumeration of floral diversity, vegetation biomass and carbon stock. For soil analysis samples were collected at
three different depths i.e. 0-20 cm, 21-40 cm and 41-100 cm and samples analysed for the bulk density, porosity, pH, CEC, OC, N, P, K, Ca, Mg, S, microbial count, microbial biomass and microbial activity. The data regarding economics of each land use systems were collected by personal interviews with the farmers of each village which were selected for study and the data related to forest, parameters were collected from Forest Corporation and divisional office of each forest range. The study revealed that herbage density and basal area was found to be maximum in agrihortisilviculture land use system (698.66 tillers m-2) and (305.39 cm2 m-2), respectively. Shannon Weiner index (H') of vegetation was found to be maximum (2.27)
for forest land use. Among agroforestry systems, it was found to be maximum (2.19) in agrihortisilviculture system, whereas, Simpson Diversity Index displayed maximum value in horticulture system. The maximum value of aboveground biomass (184.75 t ha-1), belowground biomass (47.84 t ha-1) and total biomass (232.59 t ha-1) was recorded in forest land use
system. Total biomass production of different land use systems followed the order: T6>T2>T5>T3>T4>T1>T8. Whereas, among the agroforestry systems maximum aboveground (66.46 t ha-1), belowground (20.84 t ha-1) and total biomass (86.48 t ha-1) was accumulated by agrihortisilviculture system. Similar trends were also seen in respect of biomass carbon density. Total carbon stock (vegetation + litter + soil) was maximum (197.43 t ha-1) in forest land use system, which was found to be about 2 times higher than agroforestry systems. Among agroforestry systems maximum (90.10 t ha-1) total carbon stock was found in agrihortisilviculture, which was found to be 2.45 %, 4.42%, 10.67% and 44.80% higher than agrihorticulture, silvopatoral, agrisilviculture and agriculture land use systems, respectively. A significant effect of altitudinal ranges also found on accumulated biomass and carbon density and both were found declined with increasing altitude. Physical, chemical and biological properties of soil were found to be better in tree based land use systems as compared to tree less systems. Soil pH was found to be slightly acidic to neutral in reaction. Soil organic carbon density was observed to be maximum (26.82 t ha-1) in the forest land use system. The major available nutrients viz., N, P and K were also significantly influenced by land
use systems and altitudinal ranges. Significantly higher available N, P and K were 411.43 kg ha-1, 30.17 kg ha-1 and 142.02 kg ha-1 respectively, observed under forest land use system Among all agroforestry systems, silvopastoral showed higher available NPK, followed by agrisilviculture > agrihortisilviculture > agrihoticulture. Along the altitudinal range all available NPK declined with increasing altitudinal range. The microbial analysis was performed on different land use systems at both altitudinal ranges. The maximum microbial count, (164.50 × 105 cfu gm-1 soil) and microbial biomass carbon (506.63 MB-C μg/100 gm soil) were recorded in forest land use system. Among agroforestry systems, agrihortisilviculture system
accounted higher microbial count and biomass carbon. Study revealed that maximum expenses were incur in the agrihorticulture (Rs 195746.39) system, followed by agriculture, agrisilviculture, agrihortisilviculture, horticulture and forest land use systems. Agrihortisilviculture systems displayed significantly higher gross return and net returns, (Rs 454,439.10) and (Rs 338945.00) respectively, than all other land use systems. Higher Benefit:Cost ratio was recorded for horticulture (5.34) than other land use systems and followed the trend: horticulture > silvopastoral > agrihortisilviculture > grassland > agrihorticulture > agrisilviculture > forest > agriculture.
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Keywords
land resources, land management, carbon, biomass, farming systems, agroforestry systems, horticulture, grasslands, wood, crops