Pedosphere Degradation due to Seasonal Water Logging in Southwestern Punjab

• Published in: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, India. Section B: Biological sciences India. Section B: Biological sciences, 2016-12, Vol.86 (4), p.835-845
• Main Authors: Choudhury, B. U., Sharma, B. D., Mukhopadhyay, S. S., Verma, B. C.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Behavioral Sciences; Bicarbonates; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Cations; Citric acid; Clay; Degeneration; Dithionite; Life Sciences; Nucleic Acid Chemistry; Plant Biochemistry; Research Article; Salts; Seasons; Soil profiles; Water table
• ISSN: 0369-8211; 2250-1746
• DOI: 10.1007/s40011-015-0530-0

Introduction of irrigated agriculture has turned some basin lands seasonally waterlogged. Seasonally waterlogged soils remain poorly understood particularly in relation to the changes in pedosphere and pedogenic pathways. Present investigation evaluated changes in the pedosphere and its implications in pedogenic pathways of these seasonal waterlogged soils. Five soil profiles along the central transit of the waterlogged area of the southwestern Punjab (74°30′–74°45′E longitude and 30°03′75″–30°33′07″N latitude) were studied. On seasonal water logging, the present land depicts shift of matrix colour from yellowish brown to olive brown, decay in the thickness and strength of structured B-horizons, increase in exchangeable Na and soluble salts in the surface horizons, fall of exchangeable divalent cations to exchangeable-Na ratio and an increase in the mobility of citrate–bicarbonate–dithionite extractable free Fe and Mn. Seasonal water logging resulted in two phases of degeneration, deterioration of structured B-horizon and the dispersion of clays and soluble salts and their inconsistent downward movements with water table front. The operating soil process is incipient hydromorphism.