Effects of Land Use Change on Soil Physical Properties and Erodibility in Ghatigaon Block of Gwalior District in Madhya Pradesh, India

Abstract:

The soil detachment by water is described as soil erodibility by Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE), which can be affected by land-use change. The present attempt was taken to quantify the changes of USLE Soil erodibility (K-factor) and its soil driving factors in three land uses, including agriculture land, forestland and wasteland in Ghatigaon block of Gwalior district of Northern Madhya Pradesh. Soil composite samples were obtained from two layers in three land uses, and the related soil physicochemical properties were measured. The agriculture land use showed the highest sand content, pH, EC, CEC, sodium carbonate, sodium bicarbonate, exchangeable sodium and exchangeable calcium. In contrast, highest silt, clay, mean weight diameter, organic carbon and exchangeable magnesium were found in forest land use. The highest particle density, bulk density, permeability and soil erodibility were observed in the wasteland use. The USLE K-factor has a negative and significant correlation with clay, organic matter, mean width diameter, and soil permeability. There is a positive and significant correlation between USLE K-factor, particle density, and soil carbonate. However, no significant correlations were observed between USLE K-factor and silt, sand, bulk density, pH, electrical conductivity, cation exchange capacity, soil bicarbonate, exchangeable sodium, calcium and magnesium and sodium absorption rate and exchangeable sodium percentage. In the wasteland, the K-factor (0.071 Mg h/MJ/mm) was significantly higher, and the particle size distribution greatly impacted the K-factor.