Physico-chemical characterization of Oak, Pine and Sal forest soil profiles of Betalghat Region of Kumaun Himalaya

Soil is one of the basic natural resources on which all forms of terrestrial life co-exist. The soils of three forest types i.e., banj-oak ( Quercus leucotrichophora A. Camus) chir-pine ( Pinus roxburghii Sargent) and sal ( Shorea robusta Gaertn. f.) of Betalghat block, Nainital District, (Kumaun Himalaya). Soils were drawn from three depths viz. 0-10 cm, 11-20 cm, 21-30 cm. The present study were studied resulted to soil physico-chemical properties i.e. maximum soil texture (sand 34.30 %, silt 57.21 % and clay 33.23 %), soil moisture ( 12.6 %), bulk density ( 1.43 g.cm -3 ), porosity ( 52.06 %), water holding capacity ( 69.27 %) and the maximum values of chemical analysis i.e. pH ( 6.80 ), total carbon ( 3.82 %), organic matter (6.57 %), total nitrogen ( 0.36 % ), available potassium ( 267 mg/kg ) and available phosphorous ( 62 mg/kg ). Banj-oak forest shows rich physical properties followed by sal and chir-pine forest while chir-pine forest shows rich chemical properties in compared to sal and banj-oak forest.