Study of the Soils of Mussoorie Area (Garhwal Himalayas)

Abstract

Certain soils of Mussoorie forests under Deodar (Cedrus deodara) , Chir (Pinus roxburghii) and Oak (Quercus incana) were studied for their various physical, chemical and physicochemical attributes and classified in to four classes viz, Typic Hapludolls,Typic Dystrochrepts, Typic Argiudolls and Ruptic-Alfic Eutrochrepts. Typic Hapludoll, identified under Deodar and Oak were not much influenced by vegetation whereas Typic Dystrochrepts encountered uDder Deodar and Chir expressed higher order of interaction of vegetation on soil development. The soil development process of Typic Argiudolls found under Deodar were influenced by the vegetative cover in contrast to RuptiC-Alfic Eotrocbrepts under Chir cover.