Narmada Forest Division, Gujarat

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1 Scientia Agriculturae E-ISSN: X / P-ISSN: DOI: 1192/PSCP.SA Sci. Agri. 11 (3), 2015: PSCI Publications Assessment of Nitrogen Status in the Tropical Forest Soils of Narmada Forest Division, Gujarat Yadav Rajkumar S 1, Pandya Ishan Y 2, Jangid M.S 3 1&3. Sir P.T Science Collage, Hemchandrachaya North Gujarat University (HNGU)Patan- Gujarat, India &2.Gujarat Ecological Education and Research (GEER) Foundation Gandhinagar- Gujarat, INDIA Corresponding Author rajbot99@gmail.com Paper Information A B S T R A C T The present study was completed in tropical forest of Narmada Forest Received: 11 June, 2015 Division (NFD). Study was conducted during summer season. All soil samples were collected through stratified random sampling method by Accepted: 28 July, 2015 using suitable tools techniques. In the present study, total nitrogen percentage (TN%) is high in upper layer (0-15 cm layer) of soil in inside Published: 20 September, 2015 forest as well as outside of the all studied forest types viz. Dry Deciduous Forest (DDF), Moist Deciduous Forest (MDF) and Riverine Forest (RF). Citation Finding shows inside forest (Bottom) is having maximum TN of DDF are 0.16±0.09 in the bottom followed by slope (0.13±0.05) and hills ( Yadav Rajkumar S, Pandya Ishan Y, Jangid MS ±0.02) while in outside forest maximum TN is found in front (0.18±0.04) Assessment of Nitrogen Status in the Tropical Forest Soils and back side shows 0.13±0.06. Likewise DDF in MDF maximum TN of Narmada Forest Division, Gujarat. Scientia Agriculturae, found in bottom (± 1) followed by Slope (0.19±0.02) and hills 11 (3), Retrieved from (DOI: (±0.03). TN percentage of RF is different from DDF and MDF. In RF 1192/PSCP.SA ) maximum TN is found in slope ±0.08 followed by hills (0.19±0.08) and bottom (±0.01) while the outside front forest of DDF shows maximum TN in DDF are 0.18±0.04 in front and 0.13±0.06 in back followed by MDF (±0.05 and ±0.02) in both (Front and Back) and RF (±0.03) in front and ±0.03 in back. Findings of cm layer show that TN content in inside forest varies in all forest type i.e DDF, MDF and RF. Outside forest is also showing variation in all forest type PSCI Publisher All rights reserved. Key words: Total Nitrogen (TN), DDF, MDF, RF, Narmada Forest Division (NFD), Forest Introduction Tropical forests occupy 7% of the earth s land surface and sustains more than half of the planet life forms (Wilson, 1988) and in India the tropical Forest account for 38.2% of the total forest cover (MoEF, 1999). In tropical Forest ecosystems, soil nutrients play an important role in the formation of plant communities, their species and structural diversity, thus soil conservation has fundamental significance for biodiversity conservation and sustainable land use (Karpachevsky, 1997). The soil is basic source to produce food, fodder, fuel and fiber and other require necessities of the human being. The formation of these soils is mainly governed by the characteristic deposition of organic matter derived from forest growth (Negi, 2014). Out of all nutrients in organic matter, soil nitrogen amount and constitution forms are significant indicator of soil organic matter status (Sabiene, Khusliene, & Zelesckas, 2010). Soil Nitrogen (N) occupies a unique position among the elements essential for plant growth because of rather large amount required by most agriculture crops (Meysner, Szjadak, & Ku, 2006) and soil micro- fauna s in comparison with other nutrients (Towhid, 2013). Less soil nitrogen availability limits crop growth on many tropical soils, especially those with low organic matter contents such as sandy soils and soils of semi arid environments. The ultimate source of nitrogen is the atmosphere and contains about 78% nitrogen in the mixture of gases. From atmosphere, some nitrogen is deposited to the soil by atmospheric fixation and precipitation (Towhid, 2013). Nitrogen exists in the soil system in complex forms and transforms very easily from one form to another. The route that nitrogen follows in and out of the soil system is collectively called the "nitrogen cycle" and is biologically influenced (Solanki and Chavda, 2012). Hence, nitrogen plays very important function in supporting the floral diversity and its growth. Therefore, the main objective of present study focus on assessing the status of Total Nitrogen (TN) in the reserve tropical forest soils of Narmada Forest Division in Gujarat State.

2 Sci. Agri. 11 (3), 2015: Study area Narmada Forest Division lies between 72.4º to 73.15º E Longitude and 21.24º to 22º N Latitude. The geographical area of the Narmada District is 2755 Sq. km. which constitutes of Sq. km Reserve Forest area (Excluding Protected Forest Area) which is 19.6% of total Geographical area. The district shares its border with the State of Maharashtra and is bounded with Surat in the South, Vadodara in the North, and Bharuch in the West. The district is categorized into four blocks (Talukas), which includes Nandod, Sagbara, Tilakwada and Dediapada (Figure-1). Figure 1. Location of Narmada Forest Division (Source: Yadav et al., 2015) Material and Methods During present study, total 90 Soil samples were collected using Stratified Random Sampling (SRS) method from the field work of 10 days in perilous tropical forest areas of Narmada Forest Division. Grab technique was applied for soil sample collection between two depth layers from the ground surface viz cm and cm in the summer season to avoid the negative impact of variation of moisture content on the collected soil and maintain uniformity of period (Yadav et al., 2015). Soil samples were very systemically collected by using suitable tools such as Hand hoe and were stored in properly coded zip lock polythene bags. Soil samples were collected from distinct locations comprises of 10 Villages in coverage of 5 Forest Ranges and all 4 Blocks (Talukas) of entire Narmada Forest Division. Coordinates of the sample point location were marked by using GPS (Global Positioning System) and superimposed in map. Soil samples were collected from both Forest and Non- Forest area based on the SRS method which has following five strata: Forest types (Three predominant forest types) Forest density classes (Three viz. Very Dense, Dense and Open) (Hill tops, Hill slopes and Valley) Non Forest area- about 1000 meter away from the edge of the Forest and avoiding farmlands (Wasteland, Pasture etc.) Soil depth- two classes (0 to 15 cm top soil and cm bottom soil) Soil samples were analyzed using Kjeldahl Digestion method in the laboratory and Total Nitrogen (TN) percentage of all 90 samples were determined. After laboratory treatment, the Total Nitrogen (TN) values were calculated using standard equations proposed under Kjeldahl Digestion Method. Later, the values were computed in MS-Excel Version The analysis was made between all selected above strata s. Mean ± SD was analyzed for all three predominant forest types. 110

3 % Total Nitrogen in Two layer(0-15cm and cm Sci. Agri. 11 (3), 2015: Results and Discussions Table 2. Total Nitrogen (TN%±SD) in Forest Areas of NFD Soil Depth ( in cm) DDF MDF RF Locations (0-15 cm) (15 30 cm) Hills ± ±0.04 ± ± ±0.08 ±0.01 Slope 0.13±0.05 ± ±0.02 ±0.05 ±0.08 ±0.02 Bottom 0.16±0.09 ±0.1 ±1 ±0.01 ±0.01 ±0.02 Front 0.18±0.04 ±0.05 ±0.03 ±0.03 ±0.03 ±0.02 Back 0.13±0.06 ± ± ±0.02 ± ±0.03 Note: DDF= Dry Deciduous Forest, MDF= Moist Deciduous Forest, RF= Riverine Forest (0-15 cm) (15-30 cm) (0-15 cm) (15-30 cm) Here, the values of soil total nitrogen percentage in respect to Mean±SD have been calculated in Table No.2. For example; the hills of tropical forests in inside the forests possess 0 percentage nitrogen in depth layer of 0-15cm which are further deviated to 0.02 i.e. ± Important findings in soils of NFD Finding of 0-15cm layer in the present study shows that in inside forest (Bottom) is having maximum TN of DDF are 0.16±0.09 in the bottom followed by slope (0.13±0.05) and hills( ±0.02) while in outside forest maximum TN is found in front (0.18±0.04) and back side shows 0.13±0.06. Likewise DDF in MDF maximum TN found in bottom (± 1) followed by Slope (0.19±0.02) and hills (±0.03). TN percentage of RF is different from DDF and MDF. In RF maximum TN is found in slope ±0.08 followed by hills (0.19±0.08) and bottom (±0.01) while the outside front forest of DDF shows maximum TN in DDF are 0.18±0.04 in front and 0.13±0.06 in back followed by MDF (±0.05 and ±0.02) in both (Front and Back) and RF (±0.03) in front and ±0.03 in back. Findings of cm layer show that TN content in inside forest varies in all forest type i.e DDF, MDF and RF. Outside forest is also showing variation in all forest type as shown in Table No-2 and Figure.4, 5 and Location of soil and Figure 2. Total Nitrogen Percentage in DDF of NFD 111

4 Total Nitrogen in Two layer(0-15cm and cm % Total Nitrogen in Two layer(0-15cm and cm Sci. Agri. 11 (3), 2015: Location of soil and Figure 3. Total Nitrogen Percentage in MDF of NFD 0.25 Percentage total Nitrogen in Riverine Forest Location of soil and Figure 4. Total Nitrogen Percentages in RF of NFD Findings of present study showed, total nitrogen percentage (TN%) is high in upper layer (0-15 cm layer) of soil in inside forest as well as outside of the all studied forest types viz. Dry Deciduous Forest (DDF), Moist Deciduous Forest (MDF) and Riverine Forest (RF) as shown in figure 4, 5 and 6. Xue, Cheng and An, (2013) also described soil depth increased the correlation between the soil physicochemical properties and soil nitrogen form decreased. Rathore and Jasrai, (2013), were observed that there is high Nitrogen content in the surface layer than inferior layer. Conclusion First layer (0-15) showed maximum carbon in all forest types and topography due to litter decomposition occur in first layer of the soil. Analysis of the data showed that TN contents in soil are varied in different topography and forest types. 112

5 Sci. Agri. 11 (3), 2015: Acknowledgment Author would like to express to Dr. M.S Jangid (PhD Supervisor, Hemchandracharya North Gujarat University, Patan, and Gujarat) for providing important help during research paper writing. I am also expressing my gratitude thanks to Mr. B.J Pathak, Director Gujarat Ecological Education and Research (GEER) Foundation for providing scholarship as Junior Research Fellow (JRF), Laboratory and Library. References Karpachevsky L Variability of Soil Cover in Forest Ecosystem. Moscow University Publishing House. Meysner T, Szjadak L, Ku J Impact of Farming Sysstem on Contens of Biologically Active Substances and Forms of Nitrogen in the Soils. Agronomy Research, Vol. 4 (2), pp MoEF National Policy and Macrolevel Action Strategy on Biodiversity. New Delhi: Ministery of Goverment of India. Negi M Retrieved from Sabiene N, Khusliene G, Zelesckas E Status of Land Use on Soil Organic Carbon and Nitrogen Content and redox potential. Zemdirbyste Agriculture,Vol. 97 (3), pp Rathore A, Jasrai YT Soil Organic Carbon Assessment Under Different Agroclimatic Zones of Gujarat And Predicting their Potential as Future carbon Sinks. IJRSR. Vol. 4(3), pp Towhid OK Soils Principal, Properties and Management. Chittagong, Bangladesh: Springer. Solanki H, Chavda N Physico-Chemical Analysis With Reference To Seasonal Changes In Soils Of Victoria Park Reserve Forest, Bhavnagar (Gujarat). Life sciences Leaflets Vol.8, pp Xue Z, Cheng M, An S Soil Nitrogen distribution for different land uses and Landscape position in small watershed on Loses Plateau, China. Ecological engineering Vol.60, pp Yadav RS, Pandya IY, Jangid MS Estimating Status of Soil Organic Carbon in Tropical Forests of Narmada Forest Division, Gujarat, India. International Research Journal of Environment Sciences Vol.4 (1), pp