Surface soil hydraulic conductivity and macro-pore characteristics as affected by four bamboo species in North-Western Himalaya, India

Soil hydraulic properties are important aspects of the bamboo plantation's eco-hydrological processes as they affect the runoff, soil erosion, and water balance. This study assessed the effect of four commercially important sympodial bamboo species viz., Bambusa vulgaris, Bambusa balcooa, Dendrocalamus hamiltonii, and Dendrocalamus strictus on surface soil saturated and near-saturated hydraulic conductivity (NSHC), macropore characteristics, and the factors influencing the soil hydrological processes. The surface soil hydraulic conductivity at 0, -10, and -30 mm pressure heads and macropore characteristics were estimated from measured steady-state infiltration using a tension (hood) infiltrometer. Soil organic carbon, bulk density, aggregate mean weight diameter (MWD), root biomass, and litterfall was correlated with saturated hydraulic conductivity (SHC) to determine these parameters' relationship with the hydraulic properties. D. hamiltonii showed significantly higher SHC, NSHC, and water-conducting macroporosity than the rest of the species. The correlation analysis revealed that root biomass and soil aggregate MWD were the major determinants of soil hydraulic conductivity characteristics. Bulk density, soil organic carbon, and leaf litter were weakly correlated with SHC. Among the species evaluated, D. hamiltonii was found to be a highly promising species for improvement of soil hydro-physical property and, therefore, can be recommended for increasing infiltration, reducing runoff, controlling soil erosion, and improving groundwater recharge.