Plant-livestock-soil-hydrology interactions in the northeastern region of India
In a multidisciplinary study, highly significant interactional effects were found among land use, livestock component, soil properties and rainfall. On an average, 16.2 to 82.2 tonnes of sediment yield kmâ2 and more than 90% of rainwater was retained in-situ in new land use systems as against 3621.3 tonnes of sediment and 66.3% rainwater retention in shifting cultivation, because of poor land cover. Good vegetation cover reduced the runoff load, resulting in significant reduction in the soil and nutrient erosion.