No abstract

The study dealt with the assessment of the impact of deforestation on tropical soil through a comparative analysis of physicochemical and microbiological parameters of natural forest and a deforested barren site. With signi®cant decline in clay, texturally the soil of the deforested barren site was observed to be different from that of natural forest. Bulk density and porosity data revealed structural deterioration of deforested barren soil. The soil hydrological regime was also adversely affected by the deforestation. Levels of soil organic carbon, total nitrogen, microbial biomass C, N and microfungal biomass also exhibited signi®cant decline in deforested site. Analysis of microbial respiratory quotient (q CO 2 ) was also observed to be impaired in the deforested site.