Soil Nutrients as Influenced by Different Natural Vegetation Types in the Western Ghats Region of Kerala, India - Factor Analysis

摘要

Two significant factors viz., soil aggrading factor(55 36 per cent) and nutrient and cation exchange capacity (CEC) factor (15.68 per cent) were identified through factor analysis of soil nutrient distribution pattern in three natural vegetation typesviz., evergreen, semi evergreen and moist deciduous forests in Kerala. The two factors together accounted for 71 per cent of the total variation in the twelve selected soil properties, The model explained 90% of variance in organic P; 85% of the variance in total S; >=80% of the variance in available S and total P; >=75% of variance in available P and organic S; >=70% variance in ammoniacal N; >=65% variance in total N; >=60% variance in organic carbon and nitrate N; >=54% variance in available N and 45% variance in cation exchange capacity (CEC). The inter - factor correlations indicate that this model is suitable for assessing the soil status in evergreen, semi evergreen and moist deciduous forests in Kerala, India.