Pedological Controls on Soil Erodibility in High-Altitude Ultisols and Associated Soils of the Meghalaya Plateau, India

Pedological Controls on Soil Erodibility in High-Altitude Ultisols and Associated Soils of the Meghalaya Plateau, India | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article Pedological Controls on Soil Erodibility in High-Altitude Ultisols and Associated Soils of the Meghalaya Plateau, India B.P. Bhaskar, R.P. Sharma, U. Baruah, P.S. Butte This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-9155737/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Under Review Version 1 posted 9 You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Soil erosion in the Meghalaya Plateau is a major environmental concern due to steep terrain, intense monsoonal rainfall, and the widespread practice of shifting cultivation. The present study examines the pedogenic implications of erosion in clay-illuvial soils (Ultisols) across twelve representative soil series using morphological, physical, and chemical properties. Soil erodibility indices—including critical shear stress (τc), erosion index of organic matter (EIROM), and the critical limit of organic matter (CLOM)—were calculated to assess soil susceptibility to erosion. In addition, the soil erodibility factor (K) was estimated using multiple linear regression (MLR) models incorporating these indices. The results indicated that soils under grass cover were slightly to moderately erodible, whereas soils under pine plantations and potato cultivation exhibited higher erosion risk. The average soil erodibility factor was 0.04 ± 0.02 t ha h ha⁻¹ MJ⁻¹ mm⁻¹ with a coefficient of variation of 45.17%, indicating considerable spatial variability in erosion processes. The MLR model developed using erodibility indices produced the equation: K = −0.053 − 0.246 CLOM + 0.807 τc − 0.00056 (very coarse sand, %) which showed a highly significant relationship (F = 430.33, p < 0.001, R² = 0.97). Another regression analysis revealed a strong collective influence of EIROM, τc, apparent cation exchange capacity (CEC), CEC/clay ratio, and soil structural stability index (SSI), expressed as: SSI = 0.4 EIROM + 19.6 τc + 0.04 (CEC/clay) − 73.2 K (F = 41, p < 0.001, R² = 0.78). Elevation showed a strong negative correlation with fine sand (r = −0.84**) and sand (r = −0.68*, p < 0.05), whereas silt exhibited a positive correlation (r = 0.59*, p < 0.05). K-means clustering grouped the soils into three clusters, revealing depletion of organic carbon and sand fractions in profiles with higher erodibility indices. Furthermore, exposed Bt horizons enriched in clay showed moderate structural stability (SSI = 5.49) and greater susceptibility to erosion in grassland and potato-growing soils. The study highlights the importance of developing detailed pedological datasets at the soil-series level across different agro-ecological regions to monitor variations in soil erodibility and support sustainable soil conservation and land management strategies. Soil erosion Critical shear stress Erodibility indices K-means clustering Multiple linear regression Soil structural stability index Soil classification Full Text Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Under Review Version 1 posted Reviews received at journal 10 May, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 19 Apr, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 19 Apr, 2026 Reviews received at journal 19 Apr, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 19 Apr, 2026 Reviewers invited by journal 06 Apr, 2026 Editor assigned by journal 25 Mar, 2026 Submission checks completed at journal 25 Mar, 2026 First submitted to journal 18 Mar, 2026 You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. Our growing team is made up of researchers and industry professionals working together to solve the most critical problems facing scientific publishing. Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-9155737","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":618709912,"identity":"65177d80-9c13-4eda-b27e-849ec0db6676","order_by":0,"name":"B.P. 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The present study examines the pedogenic implications of erosion in clay-illuvial soils (Ultisols) across twelve representative soil series using morphological, physical, and chemical properties. Soil erodibility indices—including critical shear stress (τc), erosion index of organic matter (EIROM), and the critical limit of organic matter (CLOM)—were calculated to assess soil susceptibility to erosion. In addition, the soil erodibility factor (K) was estimated using multiple linear regression (MLR) models incorporating these indices.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe results indicated that soils under grass cover were slightly to moderately erodible, whereas soils under pine plantations and potato cultivation exhibited higher erosion risk. The average soil erodibility factor was 0.04 ± 0.02 t ha h ha⁻¹ MJ⁻¹ mm⁻¹ with a coefficient of variation of 45.17%, indicating considerable spatial variability in erosion processes. The MLR model developed using erodibility indices produced the equation:\u003cbr\u003e\nK = −0.053 − 0.246 CLOM + 0.807 τc − 0.00056 (very coarse sand, %)\u003cbr\u003e\nwhich showed a highly significant relationship (F = 430.33, p \u0026lt; 0.001, R² = 0.97). Another regression analysis revealed a strong collective influence of EIROM, τc, apparent cation exchange capacity (CEC), CEC/clay ratio, and soil structural stability index (SSI), expressed as: SSI = 0.4 EIROM + 19.6 τc + 0.04 (CEC/clay) − 73.2 K (F = 41, p \u0026lt; 0.001, R² = 0.78). Elevation showed a strong negative correlation with fine sand (r = −0.84**) and sand (r = −0.68*, p \u0026lt; 0.05), whereas silt exhibited a positive correlation (r = 0.59*, p \u0026lt; 0.05). K-means clustering grouped the soils into three clusters, revealing depletion of organic carbon and sand fractions in profiles with higher erodibility indices. Furthermore, exposed Bt horizons enriched in clay showed moderate structural stability (SSI = 5.49) and greater susceptibility to erosion in grassland and potato-growing soils.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe study highlights the importance of developing detailed pedological datasets at the soil-series level across different agro-ecological regions to monitor variations in soil erodibility and support sustainable soil conservation and land management strategies.\u003c/p\u003e","manuscriptTitle":"Pedological Controls on Soil Erodibility in High-Altitude Ultisols and Associated Soils of the Meghalaya Plateau, India","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":1,"date":"2026-04-10 18:31:33","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-9155737/v1","editorialEvents":[{"type":"communityComments","content":0},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2026-05-10T04:38:37+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"42957644423260514660246946447804616085","date":"2026-04-20T02:04:37+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"277158958178015589984987064408954055465","date":"2026-04-20T00:18:38+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2026-04-19T18:54:34+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"319877461447540992344183940740487814763","date":"2026-04-19T18:45:35+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewersInvited","content":"","date":"2026-04-06T17:48:31+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorAssigned","content":"","date":"2026-03-25T08:12:42+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"checksComplete","content":"","date":"2026-03-25T08:11:45+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"submitted","content":"Discover Soil","date":"2026-03-18T07:03:43+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""}],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"discover-soil","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"Learn more about [Discover Soil](https://link.springer.com/journal/44378)","snPcode":"44378","submissionUrl":"https://submission.nature.com/new-submission/44378/3","title":"Discover Soil","twitterHandle":"","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":true,"editorialSystem":"stoa","reportingPortfolio":"Discover Series","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true}}],"origin":"","ownerIdentity":"fbb05e71-b43c-4bac-bb37-904b1120ed6e","owner":[],"postedDate":"April 10th, 2026","published":true,"recentEditorialEvents":[{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2026-05-10T04:38:37+00:00","index":27,"fulltext":""}],"rejectedJournal":[],"revision":"","amendment":"","status":"under-review","subjectAreas":[],"tags":[],"updatedAt":"2026-04-10T18:31:33+00:00","versionOfRecord":[],"versionCreatedAt":"2026-04-10 18:31:33","video":"","vorDoi":"","vorDoiUrl":"","workflowStages":[]},"version":"v1","identity":"rs-9155737","journalConfig":"researchsquare"},"__N_SSP":true},"page":"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]","query":{"redirect":"/article/rs-9155737","identity":"rs-9155737","version":["v1"]},"buildId":"XKTyCvWXoU3ODBz1xrDgd","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"dynamicIds":[84888],"gssp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}