Studies on carbon and nutrient dynamics in different land use systems of a watershed in the western ghat
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Date
06-05-13
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University of Agricultural Sciences, Bengaluru
Abstract
The changes in land use systems from natural vegetation to different manmade land
use systems influence the physical, chemical and biological properties of soil. Hence,
investigation was carried out to study the carbon and nutrient dynamics in different land use
systems in a watershed of WesternGhat of Karnataka.
The land use systems selected for the study consisted both manmade systems
(Agriculture: paddy; Horticulture: coffee,arecanut, tea and banana); forest plantation (accacia
and teak) and natural systems (Evergreen, semi-evergreen and grassland).Both litter and soil
samples were collected during pre and post monsoon seasons were analysed for various
parameter.
Litter production among the land use systems was in order of grassland (2.48 t ha-1) <
banana (2.50 t ha-1) <paddy (2.94 t ha-1) >arecanut (4.45 t ha-1) < acacia (4.85 t ha-1) < tea
(5.15 t ha-1) < evergreen forest (6.47 t ha-1). The litter of evergreen forest had significantly
higher carbon content (52.73 %), consequently potential C returned (3411 kg ha-1) was
higher. The nitrogen (2.50%),phosphorous(0.45%) and potassium (1.75%) content was higher
in coffee litter.
The soil under evergreen and semi-evergreen forestand coffee, had lower bulk density
and higher MWHC,SOC (2.73%, 2.57% and 2.47%), TOC, SMB-N andavailable nitrogen
and phosphorus and micronutrient status compared to soils under other land use.
The evergreen land use systems recorded higher dehydrogenase and acid phosphatase
activity followed by semi-evergreen and coffee, while urease activity was significantly higher
in coffee land use system.
Soil organic carbon showed positive and significant correlation with TOC, TN, TP,
TK SMB-C SMB-N,dehydrogenase and acidphosphatase activity.The land use systems
influenced organic carbon and nutrient dynamics in soil due to differential litter turnover as
well as organic matter and nutrient added from external source.
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Keywords
land resources, land management, sexual reproduction, seasons, carbon, nutrients, coffee, biomass, rice, nitrogen