Lithology & Soil Characteristics Related to ForestVegetation: Role of Parent Material and Soils in SustainableAfforestaion and Rehabilitation (Garhwal-Himalaya)

For sustainable management of forest vegetation inthe area, geology, soil and biota are importantfactors. Scientific investigation may be helpful inimproving and regenerating degraded hills byprotection of slopes through raising vegetationsuited to parent material and soil. Soils areconsidered to be our basic treasure. Man is dependenton soil and productive soil depends on man. Each ofthe different kinds of soils requires specialmanagement practice which changes from season toseason. The knowledge of mineralogical behavior ofsoils at good natural sites and at degraded sitesopens at possibilities of optimal management inputsto augment production of the biomass from good siteas well as from degraded site after suitableamelioration. In the present intensified programme ofraising large scale plantation, especially of fastgrowing species, the fertility potential dependslargely on the mineralogical composition of the soil.The underlying parent material plays a vital role indetermining the success or other-wise of theplantations especially over a number of rotations ina given year. This book provides in-depth knowledgeto the managers, foresters and land users to have athorough knowledge about the content and nature ofminerals present in the soil in diagnosing thefertility status and other soil-plant-parent materialrelationship in forestry.