Plant diversity and variation in soil properties of selected land use types of Arunachal Pradesh: a local climate change perspective

Changes in the pattern of land use and climate have increasingly threatened the terrestrial ecosystem. The study aims to quantify the responses of modified land use on species diversity and soil properties and also to document the local perceptions of climate change in the region. A total of 10 tree species, 10 shrub species and 12 herb species were recorded from the Seru area of Tawang district, whereas, 9 tree species, 8 shrub species and 11 herb species were recorded from the Ziro Valley of Lower Subansiri district. The density of tree species (674 stems/ha), shrubs/saplings (14,025 individuals/ha) and herbs/seedlings (57,083 individuals/ha) were found to be higher in the Seru area than in the Ziro Valley. However, the basal area of tree species was comparatively more (21.10 m2/ha) in the Ziro Valley than in the Seru area (19.80 m2/ha) in spite of more density. The soil of all the selected areas was recorded loamy to sandy loam. The soil moisture content and soil pH showed a significant correlation (p < 0.05; p < 0.01) with soil depth. Total phosphorus and soil organic carbon depicted a significant correlation with land use change and soil pH (p < 0.01), respectively. Available nitrogen showed a significant correlation with pH (p < 0.05) and soil organic carbon (p < 0.01) and total potassium with pH (p < 0.05) and total phosphorous (p < 0.01). Based on the local responses, it is clear that the region has been experiencing long term changes in climatic conditions and have influenced the species composition of the region. It is therefore, very important to address the process of adaptation and take necessary locally relevant management solutions. © 2022, The Author(s) under exclusive licence to Society for Plant Research.