Abstract:
Understanding soil characteristics is important to determine the alternative
strategies of land management, particularly those related to the scheme of soil
and water conservation. This study investigated soil characteristics from four
land covers around the coal mining concession area located in South
Kalimantan. A soil survey was conducted using a purposive sampling method
with three replicates in each land cover. Soil samples that were taken at depths
of 0-10 cm, 11-20 cm, and 21-30 cm, were composited before being brought to
the laboratory to quantify their characteristics, such as texture and organic
carbon content. Data analysis was processed using a non-parametric test with
a significant level of 5%. Comparison average of soil characteristics between
land covers was evaluated using the Kruskal-Wallis test and followed by
Nemenyi-test. Results found that soil characteristics from four land covers
significantly differed in texture and organic carbon content. The highest sand
fraction was noted in shrubs (67.23±0.86%), while the greatest silt fraction was
recorded in plantation forests (29.71±2.84%). Compared to other land covers,
the clay content in plantation forests and reclamation area was relatively equal
by around 53-54%. On another side, The highest soil organic carbon was found
in plantation forests with ranging of (4.44±0.14%) followed by natural forests
(4.24±0.62%), shrubs (3.38±0.09%), and reclamation area (1.14±0.09%).
These findings indicated there were high variations of soil characteristics from
different land covers around the coal mining concession area. Therefore, it is
recommended for managers to apply adaptive strategies in supporting soil
conservation efforts based on the soil characteristics in each site.
