Change in Soil Characteristics in Relation to Physiography and Land use in Higher Himalayan Region of Himachal Pradesh

Abstract

The soils of different physiographic units of Spill area in Himachal Pradesh have been studies for their morphological and physico-chemical characteristics and classified as per Soil Taxonomy (Anon, 1996). Summits and ridge tops are mostly covered with rock outcrops and glaciers, hence soils could not he developed in these areas. Four pedons (P ,P2, P3 and P4) were studied in side/repose slopes and two pedons (PS&P6) in glaciofluvial valleys. PI and P2 soils occur on steep slopes of barren mountains and are mediuni deep to deep, some what excessively drained to excessively drained, gravelly and are in the initial stage of soil development and classified as sandy-skeletal, calcareous Typic Cryorthents and loamy-skeletal, Typic Cryorthents respectively. P3 soils occur on cultivated terraces and are relatively well developed. They are deep, well drained, loan to clay loan and belong to Inceptisols and classified as fine loamy, calcareous Typic cryocherepts. P4 soils occur on pasture lands and are comparatively less developed without any diagnostic horizons and are classified as loamy-skeletal, calcareous Typic Cryorthents. PS soils occur in upper glacio- fluvial valleys and are also less developed beingfi-agmental in nature and classified as loamy-skeletal, calcareous Tipic Cryorthents. P6 soils occur on lower solufluction ten-aces and are relatively well developed having structural B horizons and are classified as fine loam;', calcareous Typic Oyochrepts.