Assessment of Mineral Content of Tree Leaf Litter of Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve and its Impact on Properties of Sodic Soil

The present investigation deals with natural chemical reserves and physical characteristics of leaf litter of 35 dominant tree species of Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve and efficacious impact of leaf litter of a few selected species on physico-chemical properties of sodic soil. Carbon contents of the litter ranged between 34.3% and 47.8% and nitrogen 1.64% and 3.58%. The ash content varied from 2.8% to 29.2% and phosphorus 0.41% to 0.846%. The leaf litter of almost all the species showed the dominance of divalent cations (Ca⁺⁺ and Mg⁺⁺) over monovalent (Na⁺ and K⁺). Results further illustrated that the leaf litter of Moraceae family is characterized by highest donor of element calcium. Besides, these leaf litters showed their excellent water holding capacity, which ranged in between 378.4% and 699.5%. Results of leaf litter impact of a few selected species on sodic soil led to a clue that leaf litter with high values of energy content and phosphorus concentration were more effective in ameliorating sodic soil. The judicious application of forest tree leaf litter, which aid in bringing the abnormal condition of the soils to the normal level may be used as a device of treasure of lost minerals to revamp the nutrient deficient terrestrial media as a biological tool, possessing an extraordinary minerals bearing potential.