Research Article | Published: 20 September 2021

Soils under Shorea robusta in foot hills of the Eastern Himalaya - their characteristics and carbon sequestration potential

Samar  Kumar Gangopadhyay, Samar Kumar Banerjee, Avinash Jain and Saikat Banerjee

Indian Journal of Forestry | Volume: 43 | Issue: 4 | Page No. 295-301 | 2020
DOI: https://doi.org/10.54207/bsmps1000-2021-56P692 | Cite this article

Abstract

Forest soils supporting Sal-Shorea robusta (Roxb. ex Gaertn. f.) plantations in the foot hills of Darjeeling and Kurseong Divisions in West Bengal were studied for their physicochemical characteristics and carbon sequestration potential. Soils are acidic, high in organic carbon and clay content but low in soil reaction (pH) and bulk density (BD). Thick deposit of leaf litter and its decomposition products increase the soil organic carbon (SOC). Significant amount of clay content also increases the moisture content which helps in decomposing the organic matter, reducing the bulk density of soil and reduces erosion. Soil organic matter  tends to concentrate with roughly more than half of the soil organic carbon in the upper soil horizons (0-30cm) at all the study sites. Among the study sites, Samardanga block registers lowest SOC while Bamanpukuri block shows highest SOC stock.

Keywords

Bulk density, Carbon stock, Cation Exchange Capacity (CEC), Forest soil, Plantation ecosystem, Tarai region

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How to cite

Gangopadhyay, S.K., Banerjee, S.K., Jain, A. and Banerjee, S., 2020. Soils under Shorea robusta in foot hills of the Eastern Himalaya - their characteristics and carbon sequestration potential. Indian Journal of Forestry, 43(4), pp.295-301. https://doi.org/10.54207/bsmps1000-2021-56P692

Publication History

Manuscript Received on 28 September 2020

Manuscript Revised on 26 July 2021

Manuscript Accepted on 29 July 2021

Manuscript Published on 20 September 2021

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