2016, VOLUME 3 ISSUE 1Pages: 10-17
Soil organic carbon stocks in different land uses in Pondicherry university campus, Puducherry, India
SM. Sundarapandian*, S. Amritha, L. Gowsalya, P. Kayathri, M. Thamizharasi, Javid Ahmad Dar, K. Srinivas, D. Sanjay Gandhi and K. Subashree
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Abstract:
Soil Organic Carbon (SOC) stocks (30 cm soil depth) were assessed in different land uses (teak plantation, eucalyptus plantation, acacia plantation, shrub land and grass land) in Pondicherry University campus by using Walkley & Black’s method. The soil bulk density was found to increase significantly (P<0.05) with increasing soil depth in all sites except acacia plantation and shrub land. Grass land and shrub land showed significantly (P<0.05) greater bulk density than other study sites. The stock of SOC percent and soil organic matter significantly (P<0.001) decreased with increasing soil depth. Acacia and eucalyptus plantations showed significantly (P<0.05) greater SOC percent than other study sites. This may be due to higher litter inputs and greater biological activity. The stock of total SOC was significantly greater in the grass land and shrub land than the other study sites. This could be attributed to more bulk density in these study sites. The present study suggests that maintaining diverse land uses would enrich the carbon stock of the institution in addition to preservation of biodiversity.
Fig.: Soil moisture in different land uses in Pondicherry University campus, Puducherry, India