A Catena Study of the Physical and Chemical Properties of the Soil Under Cultivation and Forest Cover

Abstract

A catena study of the physical and chemical properties of four soil profiles under cultivation and forest cover was made. It was observed that porosity, water holding capacity, sticky point moisture and hydraulic permeability of soils under forest cover were higher than those of soils under cultivation. Soils under the forest cover exhibited more aggregation than the cultivated normal soils, also that the aggregates were bigger in size. Cation-exchange capacity of forest soil was more than the cultivated soil. On the other hand, SiO₂/R₂O₃ ratio showed a decreasing tendency in the soils under forest cover. The data for dispersion ratio of the soil indicated that the soils under cultivation are more susceptible to erosion.