Impact of Landslides on Physicochemical and Biological Properties of Western Ghats Soils

Abstract

Landslides cause major loss of natural forest ecosystem and it is negatively impact on forest land by depleting soil biological, physical and chemical properties to reduce crop productivity. The present study was conducted to assess the impact of landslides on soil quality of central Western Ghats regions of Karnataka. Soil samples were collected from Adlur, Kavalalli, Dongri, Artibail and Mastikatta to study the variation of soil biological physical and chemical properties in eroded and pristine soils. The results of the present investigation has revealed that the soil physicochemical properties such as water stable aggregates (60%), organic carbon (1.23%), organic matter (2.12%) and available N, P and K (323.41, 18.23 and 328.71 kg/ha respectively) were found to be higher in pristine ecosystem compared to eroded soils. Furthermore, soil biological properties like microbial biomass carbon, glomalin content and mycorrhizal spores and soil enzyme activity were found to be greater extent in the pristine ecosystem compared to eroded soils. The study highlights the impact of landslides on soil physicochemical and biological properties such that suitable remedies can be undertaken in order to prevent soil loss such that soil biological properties can be maintained which is pre-requisite for plant growth and development.