Influence of soil texture on nature of mangrove vegetation in Sundarbans Tiger Reserve forest of India

Abstract

Quality of bottom soil forms an important component for any kind of mangrove reforestation as well as coastal rehabilitation program. Since textural composition plays an important role in determining the soil quality, a study was undertaken to assess the influence of variations in soil texture on distribution and abundance of different mangrove species across five zones of Sundarbans Tiger Reserve, India.This study showed these mangrove soils to exhibit good occurrences of sand particles. However,the effects of sands on textural quality were frequently masked by moderate occurrence of finer soil particles which rendered the soils to be largely loamy in texture.Such soil conditions favored establishment of mangrove vegetation. Species wise also, mangrove vegetation was found to be more diverse in loam, clay loam, sandy loam and sandy clay loam soil textures respectively while a very few species were observed in clay, sandy clay and silty clay soils.