Soil quality evaluation for management of soil resources using geospatial technique of Shegaon watershed, Chandrapur district, Maharashtra

Abstract

The assessment and mapping soil quality for management of resources of Shegaon watershed, Chandrapur district of Maharashtra were carried out. IRS-LISS-IV and LISS-III data and GIS coupled with ground truth verification were used to delineate present land use/land cover (LU/LC), slope and the watershed's physiography. The characterization and classification of soils through profile study, identified and mapped seven different soil series and complex with phases on 1:12500 scale based on physiography-soil relationship. Soils occurring on moderately sloping (8-15%) isolated mound are shallow, well drained, and non-calcareous (Typic Ustorthents) whereas soils on subdued plateau are shallow Lithic to Typic Haplustepts in complexes. Typic and Vertic Haplusterts in complex are identified on gently sloping (1-3%) upper pediment. Soils of lower pediments are shrink-swell Typic Haplusterts. Upper plain lands of the watershed show very deep, calcareous; shrink-swell soils (Typic Haplusterts) whereas soils of lower plains are Sodic Haplusterts. Soil quality assessed by measuring soil attributes or properties that serve as soil quality indicators. The used dataset was the weighted mean of different variables from the pedons representing a particular soil series of the watershed for evaluating the soil quality index (SQI). The SQI has been calculated by goal finalization, found the minimum data set (MDS) through PCA or expert opinion, assign the score to MDS by an appropriate method. The soils under different soil series compared considering SQI by taking in to account hydraulic conductivity, exchangeable sodium percentage, soil respiration (CO ), clay, 2 organic carbon and DTPA extractable Fe as parameters for the MDS, and the SQI varied from 0.50 to 0.81. The Pohe-3 soils (Typic Haplustepts) showed highest SQI (0.81) whereas the Shegaon-3 soils (Sodic Haplusterts) showed the least SQI (0.50). The soil quality of the Shegaon watershed was mainly governed by hydraulic conductivity, soil pH, ESP and organic carbon, which were identified as soil quality indicators. Suitable conservation measures and interventions have been suggested to improve the productivity of these soils.