Soil Organic Carbon Dynamics Across Various Land Use Systems Along Elevational Gradients in the North-eastern Himalayas

Hriday Kamal Tarafder *

Regional Research Station, Hill Zone, Uttar Banga Krishi Viswavidyalaya, Kalimpong, India.

Amrit Tamang

Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, Uttar Banga Krishi Viswavidyalaya, Pundibari, Coochbehar, India.

Jakir Ali Mallick

Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, Uttar Banga Krishi Viswavidyalaya, Pundibari, Coochbehar, India.

Dipta Som

Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, Uttar Banga Krishi Viswavidyalaya, Pundibari, Coochbehar, India.

Koushik Roy

Regional Research Station, Hill Zone, Uttar Banga Krishi Viswavidyalaya, Kalimpong, India.

*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.


Abstract

Aims: To study soil organic carbon content across different land use systems along four elevational gradients in the Himalayan Region of West Bengal.

Place and Duration of Study: Kalimpong and Darjeeling districts of West Bengal, India, between April to June 2019.

Methodology: Six major land use systems were selected spanning an altitudinal gradient of 400-500 m, 900-1000 m, 1400-1500 m, and 1900-2000 m, ensuring that each land use system was represented at every elevation. The land use systems included: 1. open cropland with rice, maize, winter vegetables, and pulses; 2. mandarin orchard; 3. large cardamom-based agroforestry under alder and Albizia species; 4. ginger-based agroforestry with mixed shade trees; 5. tea plantation under Albizia species; and 6. undisturbed forest.

Results: Undisturbed forests had the highest OC content (21.74 g kg-1), followed by tea plantations (19.28 g kg-1), large cardamom (17.86 g kg-1), ginger-based agroforestry (15.98 g kg-1) and mandarin orchard (13.94 g kg-1). While, open crop fields had the lowest OC content (10.92 g kg-1) across various elevational gradients. Soil organic carbon showed a positive correlation with elevation and a decrease with soil depth. At higher elevations, high soil moisture and relative humidity enhance the production of above- and below-ground biomass, increasing soil organic carbon content, while lower temperatures reduce microbial decomposition, further promoting organic carbon sequestration.

Conclusion: These findings provide crucial insights for researchers and policymakers, providing valuable information to assist in decision-making for sustainable land use management.

Keywords: Land use change, altitudinal variation, soil organic carbon, North-Eastern Himalayan region


How to Cite

Tarafder, Hriday Kamal, Amrit Tamang, Jakir Ali Mallick, Dipta Som, and Koushik Roy. 2025. “Soil Organic Carbon Dynamics Across Various Land Use Systems Along Elevational Gradients in the North-Eastern Himalayas”. International Journal of Environment and Climate Change 15 (1):369-75. https://doi.org/10.9734/ijecc/2025/v15i14698.