Impact of Altitudes on Soil Characteristics and Enzymatic Activities In Forest and Fallow Lands of Almora District of Central Himalaya

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B. R. Maurya, Vimal Singh P. P. Dhyani and Sunanyana Kashyap

B. R. Maurya, Vimal SinghP. P. Dhyani and Sunanyana Kashyap

Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi 

Altitude is one of the major topographical factors which influence the fertility status of soil. Population explosion has rooted deforestation at different altitudes to bring more area under cultivation leading to fallow lands. Objective of this study was to assess the impact of altitude on electro-chemical properties and enzymatic activities of forest and fallow land soils of Almora district of Central Himalaya. Seventy soil samples were collected from different altitudes of forest and fallow lands of Almora. Electro-chemical properties, soil microbial biomass carbon (SMBC), β-glucosidase, dehydrogenase and phosphatase activities were determined following the standard procedures. Both forest and fallow land soils were acidic in nature. Content of organic carbon, nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium were high in range and increased with altitudes. Average content of total nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium in forest lands was 2115.39, 111.89 and 2189.36 kg ha‑1, respectively. Similarly for the fallow lands the corresponding values were 1491.27, 80.26 and 2650.75 kg ha-1, respectively. SMBC of forest soil was positively and significantly correlated with β-glucosidase, dehydrogenase and phosphatase activities but in fallow land soil, it was significantly correlated only with dehydrogenase activities (r=0.69). All enzymes of forest soil were positively and significantly correlated with organic carbon, total nitrogen and total potassium. For fallow lands dehydrogenase activity was positively and significantly correlated with nitrogen (r=0.65) and potassium (r=0.76) while phosphatase activity was negatively and significantly correlated with total phosphorous (r= -0.71). Concluded that altitude directly or indirectly has influenced fertility status, SMBC and enzymatic activities of forest as well fallow land soils.

 

Keywords: Altitude, β-Glucosidase, Dehydrogenase, Macronutrients, Phosphatase, smbc.

 

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