STATUS OF SOIL PROPERTIES IN DIFFERENT BUFFER FORESTS OF MANAS BIOSPHERE RESERVE.

The soil properties of the rich buffer forests of Manas Biosphere Reserve in Indo-Bhutan zone was degraded by continuous logging pressure. This study selected an important buffer zone comprising of reserve forests namely Daodhora, Batabari, Subankhata and Dihira proposed reserve forest. The study aimed to find the relationship between the soil properties and different forest vegetation including disturbed land. Soil samples were collected and analyzed along with information of logging pressure, canopy cover and height in each landuse areas. The nitrogen (0.007 to 0.45 percent) and organic matter (0.13 to 1.57 percent) contents in soil significantly increased in evergreen, semievergreen and mixed deciduous forest in comparison to disturbed scrubland, grassland and human habitation and agricultural areas. In the microhabitat condition, sand percentage significantly varied in between 37.2-71.4 percent in Daodhora, 34.5-69.2 percent for Batabari, 55.2-78.6 percent for Subankhata and 58.9-69.2 percent for Dihira proposed reserve forest. Highest percentage of average sand particles were observed in the Subankhata reserve forest due to presence of maximum logging pressure in diverse altitudes and drainage systems. The forest destruction in eastern buffer zone of Manas Biosphere Reserve resulted in conversion of evergreen, semievergreen and mixed deciduous forests to scrubs and grassland including agricultural land and human habitation. This disturbance had caused soil degradation in terms of decrease of organic matter content and nitrogen, accumulation of sandy particles in disturbed areas and posed a serious threat to the restoration of forests and rich biodiversity of Manas biosphere reserve.