Degraded sodic lands in north India are rehabilitated under agriculture and forest sector as per national policies. Afforestation on such lands with monoculture and mixed species reclaims the soils with different efficiencies. We studied the physico-chemical and microbial properties along with enzymatic activities of degraded sodic land (control), rehabilitated sodic lands planted under Terminalia arjuna (R-TA), Prosopis juliflora (R-PJ) and mixed forest (R-MF) from two depths (0–15 and 15–30 cm). The properties of rehabilitated land uses were compared with the soils of corresponding reference (standard) land use under Tectona grandis (Ref-TG) plantation and mixed forest (Ref-MF) growing in the natural forest range of same biogeographic region to determine the status of improvement. The objective of the study was to determine efficient ecological model for the restoration of degraded sodic land. The bulk density, pH, electrical conductivity (EC) and exchangeable sodium percentage (ESP) reduced during restoration under both, pure plantations as well as mixed forest. Increase in water holding capacity (WHC), organic carbon, soil nutrients, microbial biomass (MB) [carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus], microbial counts, CO 2 flux and enzymatic activities (dehydrogenase, β-glucosidase, protease and acidic phosphatase) showed significant improvement in the soil quality of rehabilitated sites. At 0–15 cm soil depth in rehabilitated and reference land uses, in comparison to D-SL, organic carbon, nitrogen (total and available), available phosphorus, exchangeable cations (Na + , Ca ++ and Mg ++ ), MB (carbon and nitrogen) and activities of all enzymes, except alkaline phosphatase, were significantly greater, while other soil properties showed land use specific trends. The overall gain percent in physico-chemical soil properties varied from 54% under plantations to 77% under mixed forest (R-MF). Corresponding gain in microbial biomass was 21% (R-TA) and 34% (R-PJ) under plantation soils against 90% in mixed forest soil. The enzyme activities (on average) have also attained maximum gain% under R-MF (77%) followed by R‐PJ (47%) and R‐TA (35%) in decreasing order which indicates that afforestation with multiple tree species is a relatively good option for sustainable rehabilitation of sodic lands.

Changes in physico-chemical, microbial and enzymatic activities during restoration of degraded sodic land: Ecological suitability of mixed forest over monoculture plantation

Influence of tree species and forest land use on soil hydraulic conductivity and implications for surface runoff generation

Ecological impact of Prosopis species invasion in Turkwel riverine forest, Kenya

Understanding the effectiveness of litter from tropical dry forests for the restoration of degraded lands

Eco-restoration of degraded lands through trees and grasses improves soil carbon sequestration and biological activity in tropical climates

Tree plantation is a proven strategy to improve the salt-affected soils. However, the efficiency of trees to reclaim the soil varies from species to species. This study was therefore, carried out with the objective of assessing the efficiency of 3-yr old plantations of Prosopis juliflora (Swartz) D.C. (Mesquite), Eucalyptus tereticornis Sm. (Forest Red Gum) and Dalbergia sissoo Roxb. Ex. D.C. (Indian Rosewood) to improve the sodic soil characteristics in Sultanpur districts of Uttar Pradesh, India (26°10'-26°23'N, 81°50'-82°5'E). Soil samples collected from six depths; 0.0-0.1, 0.1-0.3, 0.3-0.6, 0.6-0.9, 0.9-1.2 and 1.2-1.5 m below the surface, were analysed for chemical and physical properties by following standard methods. The infiltration rate (IR) was determined by double concentric infiltrometer and the permeability by constant head permeameter. The trees were measured for their girth at breast height (at 1.33 m from ground) and crown area within a 100 x 100 m sector at each of the sites selected. There were decreases in soil pH (from 10.06 to 9.64) and exchangeable sodium percentage (from 70.6 to 26.9) at the P. juliflora plantation relative to the E. tereticornis and D. sissoo plantations. The organic carbon and nitrogen content increased from 2.0 and 0.18 g/kg to 3.9 and 0.45 g/kg under P. juliflora at the surface (0.0-0.1 m) layer. There was also more exchangeable Ca 2+ , Mg 2+ and K + at exchange sites and a reduction in exchangeable Na + 3 yr after establishing the plantations. There was a significant decrease in surface soil (0.1 m) bulk density from 1.66 to 1.37 (t/m 3 ) but an increase in porosity from 41.2 to 46.3% and water holding capacity from 4.3 to 4.8 g/kg. The IR and soil permeability also increased after 3 yr of tree growth. Prosopis juliflora proved more effective than E. tereticornis and D. sissoo in its ability to enrich a sodic soil with organic matter and establishing better soil-water characteristics.

Influence of forest tree species on reclamation of semiarid sodic soils

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Influence of forest tree species on reclamation of semiarid sodic soils