Effect of Altitude on Forest Soil Properties at Northern Karakoram

Abstract

This study aims to determine variation in soil physical, chemical and microbial properties along altitudinal gradients in fragile mountains region of the Karakoram. The soil samples were collected at the altitude ranging from 2787 to 3600 m from the alpine forest of the Bagrot valley, northern Karakoram, Pakistan and analyzed for various physical, chemical, and microbial parameters. The results indicate that there is a strong relationship of the soil parameters with altitude (p ≤ 0.01). With increasing elevation, soil bulk density, sand content, electrical conductivity (EC), pH, CaCO₃ content, and 16S rRNA decreased significantly, while total porosity, saturation percentage, soil organic matter (SOM) contents, soil nutrients, and fungi-to-bacteria ratio increased with increasing altitude. These findings increase the understanding of dynamics of soil properties and enhance predictions of the responses of alpine soils to global warming.