Distribution of Nutrients in Sundarbans Coastal Ecosystem- A Case study
The distribution of nutrients were studied in six soil management units identified viz., Chandipur, Biprodaspur, Pathankhali, Manmathanagar-I, Manmathanagar-II and Bhupendranagar of Gosaba block (part) of sundarbans ecosystem. Data indicated that the soils were strongly acidic (< 4.5) to neutral in reaction and associated with marginal to severe salinity (> 13.3 dS m-1). The organic carbon content ranged from 0.67 to 1.66% in surface and 0.15 to 3.44% in sub-soils. The available nitrogen content varied from 90 to 502 kg ha-1 and it changed significantly with depth. The available phosphorus varied from 0.5 to 24.7 kg ha-1. Available potassium and sulphur in soils are very high, ranging from 178 to 572 kg ha-1 and 25 to 706 mg kg-1 respectively. DTPA -Fe and Mn varied from 18.9 to 336 and 2.17 to 37.6 mg kg-1 in soils being higher in sub-surface horizons, and DTPA- Zn and Cu ranged 0.27 to 4.73 and 0.63 to 14.5 mg kg-1 respectively.