Evaluation and distribution of essential minerals in different soil habitats of cold arid high-altitude environment

Abstract Essential minerals are the main constituents of soil ecosystems, and status of soil is directly affected by the availability of these mineral nutrients to the feed/forages and then to the livestock. Therefore, the present study was conducted with the objectives to investigate essential mineral nutrients in various soil ecosystems in cold arid region of India. The study was done in Leh-Ladakh, a cold arid region of India, under the Tibetan plateau and the part of Trans-Himalayas. For the study, soil samples from various soils (agriculture soil, pasture land, Indus River sediment and road side soils) were collected and analyzed for iron (Fe), Magnesium (Mg), Manganese (Mn), Zinc (Zn), and Boron (B). Our experimental results revealed that, Fe content varied from 9520 to 65660 ppm, whereas total mean concentration was found 32027.22±2026.57 ppm in pasture land. The total average content of Mn in pasture land, Indus River sediment and road side soils were found 583.33±34.21, 661.28±118.77 and 582.99±20.71 ppm respectively, while values varied from 197.70-1089.00, 166-6603.00 and 300.30-1209.00 ppm respectively. The total mean concentration of Zn was reported 84.87±7.91, 191.86±143.95 and 79.14±4.39 ppm respectively in pasture land, Indus River sediment and road side soils, while values ranged from 3.75-242.90, 17.48-7804.00 and 2.95-220.70 ppm respectively in pasture land, Indus River sediments and road side soils. B concentration ranged from 1.71-212.60, 2.24-5653.00 and 6.44-141.30 ppm and the total mean concentration was observed as 80.10±7.06, 151.62±103.89, 36.41±2.53 ppm respectively in pasture land, Indus River sediment and road side soils. Results of our study revealed that Fe, Mg, Mn, Zn and B were found within the typical range of soil indicating that the levels of studied essential mineral nutrients are within the range in various soil ecosystems from cold arid region as far as the requirement of crop plants and livestock are concerned.