IMPACT OF ALTITUDE ON SOIL PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL PROPERTIES IN YERCAUD HILLS, EASTERN GHATS, TAMIL NADU, SOUTHERN INDIA

Radha Subramani

Volume : IX, Issue : V, May - 2019

IMPACT OF ALTITUDE ON SOIL PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL PROPERTIES IN YERCAUD HILLS, EASTERN GHATS, TAMIL NADU, SOUTHERN INDIA

Radha Subramani

Abstract :

The objective of this study was to investigate the changes in soil physical and chemical properties across four different elevation of an area. Soil samples were collected from four different locations is pointed. The results obtained that the soil physico–chemical properties of collected soil samples show significant correlation with the elevation gradient. Organic matter content of soil was positively correlated to the altitude it decreases. The soil carbon amount increased with increase in altitude at correlation coefficient 0.334. Soil pH shows minor changes with the elevation gradient. EC were minimum at 0.32 and maximum at 0.48. While the micro–macro nutrients of soil samples also show significant results towards altitude gradient. The percentage of available phosphorus, iron and copper content in the soil increased with increasing altitude with the rate of correlation coefficient 0.959, 0.170 and 0.807 respectively. While the percentage of available manganese, boron and sulphate show some different pattern it increased at between the elevations. All the physical parameters and macro–micro nutrients showed significant (P< 0.001) while some chemical parameters were significant at (P < 0.05. P< 0.01 and P< 0.001).The future trend of this study will play an important role in understanding the changes in soil properties and its impact on plants genetic diversity and phytochemical variations with altitude gradient.