Investigating the role of vegetation in controlling chemical weathering

Abstract

Physical and chemical weathering controls the denudation rate and influence the landscape's evolution. Physical weathering disintegrates rocks into smaller fragments. Chemical weathering involves altering and breaking down minerals and rocks through chemical reactions with water, atmospheric gases, and various solutes. This process contributes to the formation of soil, sediments, and landforms and has significant implications for nutrient cycling, carbon dioxide sequestration, and the overall stability of ecosystems. The dynamic interaction between natural vegetation and the alteration of rocks and minerals is a relatively uncertain aspect of weathering. The primary objective of this research is to examine how vegetation impacts physical and chemical weathering processes and subsequently influences the evolution of the landscape. The Tamhini Ghat region in the Western Ghats of Maharashtra, and Ottathai region of Kannur district in Kerala India, are the study areas that offers diverse vegetation cover and a geological landscape. These locations presents a unique opportunity to investigate the role of vegetation in weathering due to its varied flora and similar climatic and geological conditions. The vegetation and monsoonal climate create an environment where vegetation can significantly influence weathering rates through organic exudates, root action, and the modulation of water flow. This study will provide insights into the interconnectedness of biological and geological systems. By collecting water samples from this region, we aim to explore how the interaction between vegetation and chemical weathering manifests in pH variation and cation flux. Slope and landforms will be used to assess the physical weathering