Soil Properties as Influenced by Different Land Use Systems Under Subtropical Region of Jammu

The purpose of this work was to investigate the impact of various land use systems on physical and chemical changes in soil. Soil samples were taken from five different land use systems: agriculture, horticulture, forest, agroforestry, and grasslands. Soil bulk density, mean weight diameter, maximum water holding capacity, pH, nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium levels were measured. Forest land use had the lowest bulk density and pH in surface and sub-surface soil layers when compared to all other land uses, but it had the highest mean weight diameter, maximum water holding capacity, nitrogen, and potassium in surface and sub-surface soil layers when compared to all other land uses. Agriculture land use had the highest available phosphorous. The forest land use is best for soil bulk density, mean weight diameter, water holding capacity, pH, nitrogen, phosphorous over all other land uses.