Abstract
Soil is the most basic and yet most complex component of terrestrial ecosystems. It regulates most of the ecosystem processes and provides a large part of the earth’s biodiversity for the physical basis for many human activities. The major objectives of this study are to examine the physio-chemical characteristics of soil in both disturbed and undisturbed areas of Dehradun and to analyze soil pollution indices related to heavy metals in these areas. The study was conducted in the Suddhowala and Selaqui areas of Jhajra Forest Range, Dehradun, India. The soil samples were collected from six different land use patterns of SS1-SS6 from March to May (2024). The Physical parameters such as Moisture Content, Water Holding Capacity, and Electrical Conductivity, and the chemical parameters such as pH, Total Nitrogen, Organic Carbon, Organic Matter, Phosphorus, Potassium, and Sulphur were analyzed and the heavy metals such as Zinc, Boron, Copper, Manganese and Iron were measured. The geo-accumulation index (Igeo), enrichment factor (EF), degree of contamination (CD), and pollution load index (PLI) were studied. The study finds gaps in how micronutrient status is evaluated to meet the soil needs.
Keywords
References
- Agarwal, B., Kulkarni, S., Sharma, A., & Agarwal, S. (2018). Land Use Land Changes in Land Area of Dehradun City, Uttarakhand, India: Analysis Using Digital Maps and Remote Sensing Techniques, International Journal of Computer Sciences and Engineering, 6(9), 858-866. [Google Scholar]
- Ahirwal, J., & Maiti, S. K. (2016). Assessment of soil properties of different land uses generated due to surface coal mining activities in tropical Sal (Shorea robusta) forest, India. Catena, 140, 155-163. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.catena.2016.01.028 [Google Scholar]
- Allen, K., Corre, M. D., Kurniawan, S., Utami, S. R., & Veldkamp, E. (2016). Spatial variability surpasses land use change effects on soil biochemical properties of converted lowland landscapes in Sumatra, Indonesia. Geoderma, 284, 42-50. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geoderma.2016.08.010 [Google Scholar]
- Amritanshu, Pachauri, S.P., Tyagi, A.K., Srivastava, A., & Pathak, A. (2023). Status of some extractable macro- and micro-nutrients in the soils of Dehradun district of Uttarakhand. Annals of Plant and Soil Research 25(2), 221-229. https://doi.org/10.47815/apsr.2023.10260. [Google Scholar]
- Armenise, E., Redmile-Gordon, M. A., Stellacci, A.,M., Ciccarese, A., & Rubino, P. (2013). Developing a soil quality index to compare soil fitness for agricultural use under different managements in Mediterranean environment. Soil and Tillage Research, 130, 91-98. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.still.2013.02.013 [Google Scholar]
- Bahukhandi, K. D., Kushwaha, A., Goswami, L., Bhan, U., Kamboj, V., Kamboj, N., Bisht, A., & Sharma, B. (2023). Hydrogeochemical Evaluation of Groundwater for Drinking and Irrigation Purposes in the Upper Piedmont Area of Haridwar, India. ACS ES&T Water, 3(6), 1641-1653. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsestwater.2c00419 [Google Scholar]
- Bisht, A., Kamboj, N., & Kamboj, V. (2022). Groundwater Quality and Potential Health Risk Assessment in the Vicinity of Solid Waste Dumping Sites of Quaternary Shallow Water Aquifers of Ganga Basin. Water Air Soil Pollution. 233(12), 485. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11270-022-05954-6 . [Google Scholar]
- Bisht, A., Kamboj, N., Kamboj, V., & Bisht, A. (2020). A review on the role of emerging anthropogenic activities in environmental degradation and emphasis on their mitigation. Archives of Agriculture and Environmental Science, 5(3), 419-425. https://doi.org/10.26832/24566632.2020.0503025 [Google Scholar]
- Bisht, A., Kamboj, V., Kamboj, N., Bharti, M., Bahukahndi, K. D., & Saini, H. (2024). Impact of solid waste dumping on soil quality and its potential risk on human health and environment. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 196(8), 763. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-024-12914-6 [Google Scholar]
- Bunemann, K., Bongiorno, G., Bai, Z., Creamer, R. E., Deyn, G. D., Geode, R. D., Fleskens, L., Kuyper, V.G.T., Mader, P., Pulleman, M., Sukkel, W., Groenigen, J. W. V., & Brussaard, L. (2018). Soil Quality- A Critical Review. Soil Biology and Biochemistry, 120, 105-125. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soilbio.2018.01.030 [Google Scholar]
- Ferreira, A. J. D., Guilherme, R. I. M. M., Ferreira, C. S., & Oliveria, M. D. F. (2018). Urban agriculture, a tool towards more resilient urban communities. Current Opinion in Environmental Science & Health, 5, 95-97. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.COESH.2018.06.004 [Google Scholar]
- Joimel, S., Cotet, J., Jolivet, C., Saby, N., Chenot, E., Branchu, P., Consales, J., & Lefort, C. (2016). Physico-chemical characteristics of topsoil for contrasted forest, agricultural, urban and industrial land use in France. Science of the Total Environment, 12, 40-47. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2015.12.035 [Google Scholar]
- Kaur, T., Sehgal, S. K., Singh, S., Sharma, S., Dhaliwal, S. S., & Sharma, V. (2021). Assessment of seasonal variability in soil nutrients and its impact on soil quality under different land use systems of lower Shiwalik foothills of Himalaya, India. Sustainability, 13(3), 1398. https://doi.org/10.3390/su13031398 [Google Scholar]
- Kumar, R., Sinha, S., Kumar, A. R., & Rawat, L. (2021). Seasonal variation in heavy metals of forest soils of Dehradun. Annals of Plant and Soil Research, 23(1), 104-107. https://doi.org/10.47815/apsr.2021.10038. [Google Scholar]
- Leul, Y., Assen, M., Damene, S. & Legass, A. (2023). Effects of land use types on soil quality dynamics in tropical sub-humid ecosystem, Western Ethiopia. Ecological Indicator, 147, 110024. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2023.110024 [Google Scholar]
- Maini, A., Sharma, V., & Sharma, S. (2020). Assessment of soil carbon and biochemical indicators of soil quality under rainfed land use systems in North Eastern region of Punjab, India. Carbon Management, 11(2), 169-182. https://doi.org/10.1080/17583004.2020.1721976 [Google Scholar]
- Mandal, D., Dhyani, B. L., Kumar, A., Singh, C., Bihari, B., Muruganandam, M., & Madhu, M. (2013). Impact of different land use systems on soil quality in northwest Himalayan region. Indian Journal of Soil Conservation, 41, 200-205. [Google Scholar]
- Marzaioli, R., Ascoli, R., Pascle, R. A. D., & Rutigliano, F. A. (2010). Soil quality in a Mediterranean area of southern Italy as related to different land use type. Applied Soil Ecology, 44(3), 205-212. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apsoil.2009.12.007 [Google Scholar]
- Meng, Q., Yang J., Yao, R., & Liu, G., (2013). Soil quality in east coastal region of China as related to different land use types. Journal of Soils Sediments, 13, 664-676. [Google Scholar]
- Najwah, A. A., & Philip, G. (2020). The Comparison of Three Environmental Metrics for Cd, Cu, and Ni in the Agricultural Region of the Mid Continent of USA. Journal of Environment and Earth Science, 10 (6), 108-123. [Google Scholar]
- Pal, R., Mahajan, G., Sardana, V., Asthir, B., & Chauhan, B. S. (2020). Performance of dry-seeded rice genotypes under varied soil moisture regimes and foliar-applied hormones. Plants, 9(4), 539. https://doi.org/10.3390/plants9040539 [Google Scholar]
- Pandey, B., Mukherjee, A., Agarwal, M., & Singh, S. (2019). Assessment of Seasonal and Site-Specific Variations in Soil Physical, Chemical and Biological Properties around Opencast Coal Mines. Pedosphere, 29(5), 642-655. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1002-0160(17)60431-4 [Google Scholar]
- Pandey, G., & Ranganathan, T., (2018). Changing land use pattern in India. Agriculture Economics Research Review, 31(1), 113-122. [Google Scholar]
- Reddy, E. N. V., Devakumar, A. S., Charan Kumar, M. E., & Madhusudana, M. K. (2012). Assessment of nutrient turnover and soil fertility of natural forests of central Western Ghats, International Journal of Science and Nature, 3, 162-166. [Google Scholar]
- Srinivasan, K., & Poongothai, S. (2013). Macronutrients and Micronutrients Relation to Soil Characteristics of Wellington Reservoir, - India. Journal of Chemistry and Chemical Sciences, 3(3), 107-116. [Google Scholar]

