Vol. 11, Special Issue 4 (2022)

Author(s):
MP Divya, I Arul Gnana Mathuram, P Hemalatha, K Baranidharan, S Manivasakan, S Selvanayaki and M Packialakshmi

Abstract:
The effect of trees on soil physical properties, there was a slight reduction in bulk density between soil depth and ages of plantations. The infiltration rate was significantly varied between the ages and the data depicted that there was a gradual increase in infiltration rate over the ages of trees (from 0.35 cm hr^-1 to 0.50 cm hr^-1).With regard to soil pH slight decline in soil pH was noticed due to ages in contrary to electrical conductivity where it found slight enhancement in the value. However, both soil pH and electrical conductivity were found to be non significant over the distance and depth. The results showed that there was an increasing trend in soil available N due to the increase of age. Of the two distances, the maximum soil available N was observed in closer distance and minimum in wider distance. Among the soil depths, maximum soil available N was recorded in surface layer and minimum in subsurface layer. Similar trend was observed in phosphorus and potassium. Alike soil physiochemical properties, the soil biological properties viz., bacteria, fungi and actinomycetes population was found to be increased over the ages of plantation. Of the two distances, closer distance (0.5m) registered significantly maximum microbial population and among the soil depths, surface (0-15 cm) recorded maximum microbial population for all the ages of the plantation whereas sub surface (15-30 cm) recorded minimum microbial population. From the present study, it is found that the Eucalyptus plantations have positive effect on soil ecology.