Some Characteristic of Termitaria Soils in Relation to their Surroundings in New Forest Estate, Dehra Dun

Abstract

The study was conducted to determine the characteristics of termite-Roils in relation to the soils of the surrounding and to know whether the termite-soils originate from the top soil or the subsoil. The termite-soils are characterized by higher proportion of finer fractions-clay and silt, higher organic matter and total nitrogen, better water holding capacity, higher base status, exchange capacity, p^H, and total CaO and MgO as compared to the surrounding soils. Quantitatively total K₂O is considerably lower than the surrounding top soils as well as subsoils, and total P₂O₅ is at par with the subsoil but higher than the top soil. The available traction or K₂0 is almost equal in the inner mass of the termite- soil and the subsoil but higher than the outer crust and the top soil.