Abstract

An attempt is made in this paper to identify the factor pattern on soil properties in six vegetation types viz., plantations of Eucalypt, Rubber and Teak and natural forests of evergreen, semi-evergreen and moist deciduous types, using the factor analysis. The analysis identified three significant factors viz., aggrading factor (38.81 percent), texture and acidity factor (20.13 percent) and cation exchange capacity (CEC) factor (9.82 percent). They together accounted for 69 percent of the total variation in the eleven selected soil properties. The three factor model explained > 80% of variance in total S; > 75% of the variance in gravel, sand, water holding capacity (WHC) and total P, > 65% of the variance in bulk density (BD), organic carbon (OC), total N and CEC; 60% variance in pH; 32% variance in silt. The inter-factor correlations indicate that this factor model is suitable for assessing the soil status in plantations and natural forests of Western Ghats, Kerala, India.

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