The impact of traditional land use management on soil quality in Northeastern Himalayas (India)

n the Northeast Himalayas (NEH) region, four major conventional land-use types are forest, Jhum lands, fallow lands and plantations, but little is known about their sustainability responses to changes. We collected soil samples at two uniform depths (0-15 15-30 cm) from Zunheboto district of Nagaland (India). The dataset was statistically analyzed by conducting an ANOVA-one way, principal component analysis (PCA) calculating additive quality index (SQIa). Our results confirmed that sand content, bulk density (BD), porosity, organic carbon (SOC), cation exchange capacity (CEC), exchangeable calcium potassium showed significant statistical differences among depending on land use management. PCA texture, BD, SOC cations could be consideredthe indicators define quality. After estimating SQIa, soils highest values surface, while cm depth, phase ones. conversion natural forest plantation does not hamper SQ, into may even increase it, for a shorter duration. However, after 1-2 year cultivation land, reduced.