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Carbon sequestration Potential and Chemical Characteristics of Soil along an Elevation transect in Southern Himalayas, Nepal

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Author Affiliations

  • 1Himalayan Environment Research Institute, Kathmandu, NEPAL
  • 2 Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Himalayan Environment Research Institute, Kathmandu, NEPAL

Int. Res. J. Environment Sci., Volume 4, Issue (3), Pages 28-34, March,22 (2015)

Abstract

The study was aimed at quantifying and comparing the amount of carbon stored in soil and chemical parameters of soil at different elevations under different land uses. Soil samples were collected from the surface (0–10 cm) and subsurface (10–20 cm) soil layers at Dhunche and from five other sites samples were randomly chosen at four different locations at each site. Samples were collected during May at different elevation (approximately 500m change in elevation) in forest land uses and grassland use. Soil of the study area was slightly acidic to alkaline in nature. The dominant textures were sandy loam and loamy sand. Biomass was gradually increased at north with increasing altitude whereas at south aspect biomass was increased up to 3650m and then gradually decreased. SOC stock was high at the highest elevation and similar trend was seen at other sites. SOC was gradually decreased with increasing soil depth. Soil nutrients (NPK) were found to decrease with increase in altitude. The results from the present study also suggest that the Himalayan soil have a great potential to store the carbon. The present study provides the dataset on soil physical and chemical properties and paves a way for further study in the region.

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