Study on relationship between different types of erosion and soil properties of Chambal ravines

Abstract

Erosional processes in relation to marls are very intensive, so that different forms of erosion particularly badlands are the obvious characteristics at marly lands. This paper focuses attention on the some basic aspects of the role of soil characteristics upon marls behavior (erosional forms) in the regions of Chambal ravines. Soil samples were collected randomly from different form of erosion as a complete randomized designed after field survey. 48 (0-30 C.M.) soil samples were collected from the surface layer of sheet, rill, gully and badland (12 each) erosion area and 24 soil samples from underlying layer of gullies and badland (12 each) of village Aisah Morena district.The present study revealed that surface soil of sheet, rill, gully, and badland erosion was slightly alkaline to moderately alkaline in nature; whereas subsurface sites of gully and badland erosion site shows moderately alkaline nature. Since sands have low conductivity and clays have high conductivity, soil electrical conductivity correlates very strongly with particle size and soil texture. The presence of excessive amounts of exchangeable sodium reverses the process of aggregation and causes soil aggregates to disperse into their constituent individual soil particles. The particle density is higher if large amount of heavy minerals such as magnetite; limonite and hematite are present in the soil. The bulk density varies indirectly with the total pore space present in the soil and gives a good estimate of the porosity of the soil. Bulk density is of greater importance than particle density in understanding the physical behavior of the soil.