Abstract

This study reports the effects of weeding on physical and chemical properties of soil from two different hill sites with rigorous plantation. Soil samples were collected from top, middle and bottom hill positions, having plot size of 0.5m × 0.5m. This study analyzed for five soil physical variables including moisture content, maximum water holding capacity, field capacity, bulk density and particle density; and seven soil chemical variables including organic matter, organic carbon, total nitrogen, pH, Carbon nitrogen ration, available potassium and available calcium. Top hill position captures significantly lower Organic matter, Organic carbon, pH, available Ca and K having with lower soil physical variables of Moisture content, Field capacity and Maximum water holding capacity in both sites irrespective of presence and absence of weed. In this study, we found that all studied soil physical and chemical variables were higher in the presence of weed in both sites except bulk density and particle density. This study concluded that weeding practice in artificial hill forest showed adverse impact on soil physical and chemical properties. Moreover, undisturbed ground vegetation will provide continuous organic matter flow after decomposition and helps to improve the soil properties. For plantation in hilly areas it is more crucial as the hill top found significantly lower physico-chemical soil properties. 

Keywords

artificial forest, hilly land area, different elevation, soil moisture, organic matter and soil conservation