Altering Natural Ecosystems Causes Negative Consequences on the Soil Physical Qualities: An Evidence-Based Study from Nilgiri Hill Region of Western Ghats, India

M. Jagadesh (), Duraisamy Selvi, Subramanium Thiyageshwari, Cherukumalli Srinivasarao, Pushpanathan Raja, Udayar Pillai Surendran, Nadhir Al-Ansari () and Mohamed A. Mattar
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M. Jagadesh: Department of Soil Science & Agricultural Chemistry, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU), Coimbatore 641003, India
Duraisamy Selvi: Department of Soil Science & Agricultural Chemistry, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU), Coimbatore 641003, India
Subramanium Thiyageshwari: Department of Soil Science & Agricultural Chemistry, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU), Coimbatore 641003, India
Cherukumalli Srinivasarao: ICAR-National Academy of Agricultural Research Management (NAARM), Hyderabad 500030, India
Pushpanathan Raja: ICAR-Indian Institute of Soil & Water Conservation (IISWC), Research Centre, Ooty 643004, India
Udayar Pillai Surendran: Land and Water Management Research Group, Centre for Water Resources Development and Management, Kozhikode 673571, India
Nadhir Al-Ansari: Department of Civil, Environmental and Natural Resources Engineering, Lulea University of Technology, 97187 Lulea, Sweden
Mohamed A. Mattar: Department of Agricultural Engineering, College of Food and Agriculture Sciences, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2460, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia

Land, 2023, vol. 12, issue 10, 1-27

Abstract: Land use change (LUC) has direct and indirect consequences on soil quality. To gain insight into how LUC influences the physical properties of soil, it can be advantageous to compare undisturbed ecosystems with those that have naturally evolved over time, as well as to use soil quality indices to pinpoint the sensitivity of each ecosystem and land use change (LUC). A soil survey was carried out in the six major ecosystems of the Nilgiri Hill Region: cropland (CL), deciduous forest (DF), evergreen forest (EF), forest plantation (FP), scrubland (SL), and tea plantation (TP), with those having an establishment for over 50 years being selected and analyzed for soil physical parameters. In addition, soil quality indices were also derived to pinpoint the vulnerability of each ecosystem to LUC. The results reveal that the changes in land use significantly altered the soil physical properties. The content of clay was higher in EF and DF and increased with the soil profile’s depth, whereas the sand content was higher in CL and TP and decreased with the depth increment. BD and PD were significantly lower in EF, DF, SL, and FP, whereas they were higher in CL and TP. PS and ASM followed a similar trend to BD and PD. Owing to undisturbed natural settings, an abundance of litter input, and higher carbon concentrations, the HC was higher in EF, DF, SL, and FP, whereas, in the case of anthropogenic-influenced ecosystems such as CL and TP, it was lower. We discovered that LUC has altered Ag S, WSA, and MWD. Due to tillage and other cultural practices, Ag S, WSA, and MWD were significantly lower in CL and TP. However, the results confirm that native ecosystems (EF and DF) with a higher carbon content prevent such degradation, thereby resulting in good Ag S, WSA, and MWD.

Keywords: soil physical properties; land use change; Western Ghats; soil quality index (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q15 Q2 Q24 Q28 Q5 R14 R52 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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