2.1 Selected morphological and physical properties of the soils
Chikmagalur and Wayanad soils were very deep (depth >150cm
) and Idukki soils were deep (depth: 100-150cm) (Table 1). The soil
colour of all the six pedons varied from dark brown to very dark brown
in the surface and yellowish red to dark reddish brown in the lower
horizons. Surface soils of the coffee plantations recorded higher clay
content 29.33, 36.24 and 38.17 percent respectively in Chikmagalur,
Wayanad and Idukki than the forest soils (Table 1). However, clay
content was noticeably higher in Wayanad and Idukki coffee plantations
with a decrease in sand content (Table 1). The bulk density of forest
ecosystem soils ranged from 0.98 to 1.27 Mg m-1 at the
surface whereas soils from coffee plantation ecosystem recorded bulk
density from 1.15 to 1.36 Mg m-1 (Table 4).