Altitudinal distribution of soil organic carbon stock and its relation to aspect and vegetation in the mountainous forest of Bagrot Valley, North Karakoram, Gilgit-Baltistan – JBES

Shamsher Ali, Rifat Hayat, Farida Begum, Azhar Hussain, Najam ul Hasan and Abdul Hameed

Integrated Mountain Area Research Center, Karakorum International University, Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan

2Department of Soil and Environment, Pir Mehar Ali Shah Arid Agriculture University, Rawalpindi, Pakistan

Department of Environmental Sciences, Karakorum International University, Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan

Section of Geography, Government Degree College, Gilgit, Pakistan

Key words: Soil organic carbon, altitude, aspect, Bagrot valley.

Abstract

Soil organic carbon (SOC) stock in mountain ecosystems is highly heterogeneous because of differences in soil parent material, climate, vegetation and topography. The area is unexplored with respect to distribution of SOC stock. Furthermore, SOC distribution factors like altitude, slope aspect, vegetation, deforestation and depth of soil remain unclear. In the present study SOC stock and bulk density in three depths were determined in 10-sites of forest under different altitude (2787-3600 m), slope aspect (north and south facing slope) and vegetation types on the mountainous forest of Bagrot valley, North Karakorum, Gilgit-Baltistan. The results showed that SOC stock and bulk density varied significantly with respect to altitude, aspect, vegetation and depths (p < 0.05). SOC stocks correlated positively with the altitude but negatively with bulk density, depth and pH. Mean SOC at north facing slope was comparatively higher than the south facing slope. The highest SOC stock was observed in Rakhan forest site at altitude 3460 m located at north facing slope and dominated by dense Betula utilis (Birch) vegetation. Similarly, the lowest SOC stock was found at the Gasonar forest site covered by Juniperous excels vegetation, where severely deforested was observed. The variation in SOC stocks were mainly due to the increasing precipitation and decreasing temperature and pH with altitude, which resulted in decreased litter decomposition. In addition to altitude the vegetation, soil depth and deforestation also significantly effect on SOC stock. Soil bulk density followed the above pattern but in inversed order.

Get the original articles in Source: Volume 5, Number 1, July 2014 – JBES

Journal Name: Journal of Biodiversity and Environmental Sciences (JBES)

Published By: International Network for Natural Sciences

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