The comparative analysis of essential nutrient fractions in permafrost and different land use systems of Diamer Division, Gilgit-Baltistan

Abstract

Earth upper crust includes various land uses including soil-plant systems which provide a range of services but are under severe influence of human activities. For example, different land uses including forest and agriculture lands are under the influence of such changes. The land uses of Diamer division in north of Pakistan are under the influence of various anthropogenic and climatic extremes and there is a need to investigate the extent of these impacts to combat the unforeseen consequences for soil-plant productivity and nutrient losses. The present study was conducted in Diamer division, with the aim to compare the nutrients’ status with respect to various land uses. The soil samples from Babusar, Fairy Meadows, and Astore regions were collected by following the composite sampling. The organic matter status and crucial nutrients were measured through various analytical techniques and the total carbon was determined using combustion method. The results showed that Mg concentration was found higher in Babusar, followed by Fe, Ca, K, and Zn. Fe concentration was found high in the pasturelands of Babusar (204.4 mg kg1). The Astore region showed that the total nutrient concentrations were in the order of Fe > Mg > K > Ca > Zn. The overall concentration of total Ca, Mg, and K concentrations were significantly high in the forest lands while Zn and Fe were found high in the permafrost. This study inferred that the change in the land uses may pose negative impacts on various nutrients affecting the primary production but also the overall nutrient losses. There is a need to forecast the long-term impacts of these shift in land uses and to propose the suitable strategies to manage these lands in the studied region.