Comparative study of some soil properties in forested and deforested areas in Cox’s Bazar and Rangamati Districts, Bangladesh

Abstract

The study dealt with the assessment of impact of deforestation on soil through a comparative analysis of soil physicochemical properties of natural forest and deforested areas. Soil samples from three depths (top, middle and bottom) under natural forest and nearby deforested areas were collected to investigate soil properties. Forest soils show no significant change in particle size distribution. Bulk density of forested soils shows the significant differences in top and middle layers. Soil pH in top and middle soil, organic matter in top soil and available phosphorus in middle soil of the forest site are found to be significantly higher than that of the deforested soils. Forest soils also have significantly higher level of exchangeable Ca²⁺, K⁺ in top and middle soil and Mg²⁺ at all depth than those of deforested site. Exchangeable Na⁺ and cation exchange capacity (CEC) are observed unchanged in both sites. The results suggest that change in soil properties was more obvious in surface and sub surface portions of both areas. The study shows that deterioration of physicochemical properties occurred due to deforestation.

Keywords

chemical characteristics / deforested soil / forest soil / physical characteristics

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