Site and Soil Characteristics of Bamboo forests

The importance of bamboo as raw material for numerous domestic and industrial purposes and also as a desirable ecological association in the forests together with its role in controlling soil erosion has been indicated. The general distribution of several bamboos has been described in brief and an account has been given of the geological, soil and moisture conditions preferred by various species. The data on site features, morphological characteristics and physical and chemical analyses of eleven widely distributed soil profiles examined under Bambusa arundinacea and Dendrocalamus strictus have been presented and discussed in detail. It has been shown that the soils carrying Bambusa arudinacea are finer in texture, more acidic in reaction, more retentive of moisture, richer in nitrogen, organic matter, iron, aluminium, exchangeable magnesium and available potassium than those dominated by Dendrocalamus strictus. The soils of both species are low in total as well as available phosphorus. Any factor which influences soil moisture appears to be more important in causing dominance of one bamboo to the exclusion of the other. The effect of soil properties on the pattern of flowering has been elucidated. On the basis of available information the general site and soil features of different species have been worked out and tabulated. In conclusion, many items of future research have been suggested.