Evaluating variability in soil attributes and forest vegetation in a degraded dry tropical region: an ecological restoration perspective

The land use change pattern from disturbed tropical dry forests has significant impact on vegetation and soil physico-chemical properties, leading to alterations in vegetation structure and diversity. Thus, aim of this study was to better understand how disturbances affect forest vegetation and soil physico-chemical attributes under varied land uses in the deciduous forest region of Vindhyan highlands, India. Soil samples and vegetation analyses were conducted across three distinct disturbed forest sites on three land use types using the quadrate method. The study documented 45 species in the tree layer, with 37 in least disturbed, 33 in moderate disturbed, and 28 in highly disturbed stands. Shannon, Simpson, Evenness, Margalef and beta-diversity indices exhibited pronounced variations among the three disturbed stands. A two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) revealed significant difference in soil physico-chemical properties (p < 0.001, p < 0.01 and p < 0.05) due to various disturbed forest stands and land use types. Micronutrients such as zinc, copper, and nickel showed significant variation, with higher concentrations in least disturbed stands. Pearson's correlation analysis indicated strong relationships between vegetation characteristics and soil physico-chemical attributes, consistent across disturbances. Additionally, the principal component analysis indicated that the first four principal components accounted for 77.7% of the total variation in the data. The comprehensive research will add forest managers in developing long-term eco-restoration plans that will result in reduced soil loss and degradation. This study contributes to more effective forest management and conservation efforts by providing essential insights into the interactions between disturbances, vegetation, and soil properties.