Arindam Sarkar^1,2

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¹ Department of Geography, P.K.H.N. College, Howrah, India.
² Department of Geography, University of Calcutta, Kolkata, India.
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Abstract:

The present study is about to find out different attributes of soil as well as geomorphology. It is very much relevant to the study of land use land cover (LULC). Garpanchkot hill is situated in Purulia district of West Bengal. There are two geomorphological and seven pedological parameters that have been selected for the study. Shuttle radar topographic mission (SRTM) and advanced land observing satellite (ALOS) data are analyzed by remote sensing software to find out the geomorphological character of the area. There are twenty soil samples that have been taken from top of the hill to foothill pediment area with the change of elevation and slope for laboratory analysis. Different statistical techniques are used for representation. Foot hill area of the Garpanchkot hill can be determined by less than 150 m elevation and 5^o slope. Elevation and slope of rest of the hill area (greater than 150 m and 5^o) are fully dominated by forest and scattered vegetation. Elevated area (greater than 205 m) with less slope (10^o - 15^o) is associated with dense forest. Escarpment area is associated with grass land and scattered vegetation. Foothill area is bearing the signature of scattered vegetation, bare soil ground and agriculture. The richness of clay minerals plays an important role in the foothill pediment area for development of agriculture. Sandy loam is dominating soil texture in the rest of the hill area. Percentage of organic matter (1.8%), status of salinity (6.65 - 7.72) and alkalinity (up to 138.6 μs/cm) remain high in the high elevated area due to forest cover. The area is very dry, only fed by the rainfall during monsoon season. Artificial reservoir feeds the foothill agriculture system. Rice, wheat, maize, sugarcane, pulses chili and vegetables are the main crops of this area.

Keywords: Soil, Geomorphology, Foothill, Agriculture, Forest, Sandy Loam

Cite this paper: Sarkar, A. (2019) Soil Geomorphology of Garpanchkot Hill Area and Its Influence on Land Use and Land Cover. Journal of Geoscience and Environment Protection, 7, 108-135. doi: 10.4236/gep.2019.77009.

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