Soil properties and soil microbial biomass along elevation gradient in rainfed agroecosystem in Kaski district, Nepal
Date
2023
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Department of Botany
Abstract
Soil is important natural resources for the sustenance of life on the earth and also a
crucial part of agriculture. The study was conducted to examine the soil
physicochemical properties and microbial biomass carbon along elevation gradient in
rainfed agroecosystem at Annapurna Rural Municipality Ward No.10, Kleu (1350) and
Annapurna Rural Municipality Ward No.11(1650 - Jhinu danda, 1950 - Taulung and
2250 - Chhomorong) Kaski, Nepal. Altogether 60 composite soil samples were sampled
from different elevation gradient. Soil samples were collected from depth layer 0-10cm,
10-20cm and 20-30cm by using soil corer. At each elevational point 5 plot of 10m ×10m
was made with the distance of 15-50m between each plot. Each elevation gradient
distance was apart 300m. Random sampling method was used to collect the samples.
The result of the study shows that soil physical (soil temperature, soil textural fractions,
moisture, and bulk density) chemical (pH, electrical conductivity, soil organic carbon,
soil organic matter, soil organic carbon stock, total nitrogen, available phosphorous,
available potassium) and biological (microbial biomass carbon) properties varied
significantly with different elevation gradient and soil depths. The soil in the study
region was mildly acidic to almost neutral. Loamy sand was the textural class observed.
The bulk density, soil temperature and silt content were recorded greater in the lower
elevation. The increasing trend in the Moisture, EC, SOC, SOM, SOC stock, TN, AP,
AK, clay, sand and MBC along increasing the elevation gradient and decreasing trend
in the soil depth 0-10cm to 10-20cm and 20-30cm whereas bulk density and pH was
increase with increasing soil depth layers. The silt content and soil temperature were
decreased with increasing the soil layer. All the nutrients, SOC and microbial biomass
carbon were greater at elevation 2250masl. Soil quality index values were fair in all the
elevation with depth, although the value was decreased with depth. At the depth 010cm,
MBC
has
positive
significant
correlation
with
SOC,
Soc
stock,
AK,
and sand
and negative significant correlation with temperature and silt. Similarly in the depth 1020cm
MBC
has
positive
significant
correlation
with
SOC,
Soc
stock,
AP
and
clay
and
likewise
in the
depth
20-30cm,
no significant
correlation
was
found with
SMBC.
Keywords: Rainfed land, physicochemical properties, microbial biomass carbon,
soil quality index
Description
Keywords
Rainfed land, physicochemical properties, microbial biomass carbon, soil quality index