Srinagar, Jul 15: The damage to Kashmir’s wetlands is no longer confined to shrinking water bodies, disappearing birds or encroaching settlements. Increasingly, the scars of human activity are being found beneath the surface — in the very soil that sustains these fragile ecosystems.
A new study published in the prestigious journal Scientific Reports has revealed alarming signs of ecological degradation in some of the Valley’s most important wetlands, with urbanisation, waste disposal, tourism, grazing and agricultural activities steadily eroding soil health and microbial diversity.
The study, titled “Demystifying the impacts of anthropogenic activities on physicochemical characteristics of soil in four wetlands of Kashmir Valley, India”, was carried out by researchers Umar A. Mir, Haleema Bano, Mohammad Idrees Attar, M. Ashraf Bhat, Zubair Ahmad Khan and Majed Alsubih, representing SKUAST-Kashmir, King Khalid University, Saudi Arabia, and collaborating institutions.
The research examined the physical, chemical and biological properties of soils in four of Kashmir’s major wetlands — Hokersar, Anchar, Manasbal and Shallabugh — comparing disturbed areas exposed to intense human activity with relatively undisturbed zones.
The findings paint a troubling picture of a hidden ecological crisis unfolding beneath the wetlands that have long served as Kashmir’s natural flood buffers, biodiversity hotspots and water purifiers.
Wetlands experiencing greater anthropogenic pressure recorded poorer soil quality, lower nutrient availability and reduced microbial activity, all of which are essential for maintaining ecological balance and sustaining biodiversity.
The relatively undisturbed Shallabugh Wetland emerged as the healthiest ecosystem among the four, displaying higher moisture content, richer organic carbon reserves and better concentrations of essential nutrients such as nitrogen, calcium and magnesium.
Researchers also found that Shallabugh supported stronger microbial communities, including larger bacterial populations and higher concentrations of vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal (VAM) spores — beneficial soil organisms that help plants absorb nutrients and strengthen ecosystem resilience.
In stark contrast, wetlands exposed to heavy human interference showed unmistakable signs of ecological stress. The study found increased soil compaction and bulk density in disturbed wetlands, reducing the soil’s ability to retain water and support plant growth.
More worrying was the accumulation of heavy metals, including iron, copper, zinc, nickel, cadmium and manganese, in soils from disturbed sites.
Scientists warn that these contaminants can move through aquatic food chains, affect wetland vegetation and eventually threaten fish, birds and human populations dependent on these ecosystems. The research identified several human activities driving this degradation, including rapid urban expansion, indiscriminate dumping of solid waste, excessive grazing, rising tourist footfall, expanding transport networks and the widespread use of chemical fertilisers and pesticides in agriculture and horticulture.
Many of Kashmir’s wetlands, particularly those located close to urban centres, have witnessed dramatic changes in land use over recent decades.
Anchar Lake, once a thriving freshwater ecosystem on the outskirts of Srinagar, has increasingly come under pressure from untreated sewage, encroachments and urban waste.
Similarly, Hokersar Wetland, Kashmir’s only Ramsar-designated wetland reserve for waterfowl and an internationally important habitat for migratory birds, continues to battle siltation, pollution and human encroachments.
The study employed advanced analytical tools, including two-way ANOVA, principal component analysis and correlation matrix analysis, which clearly distinguished disturbed wetlands from healthier ecosystems based on soil characteristics and microbial indicators.
Researchers say these findings underscore the importance of preserving not just the water bodies but also the living soil beneath them.
“Wetland soils act as natural filters, trapping pollutants, recycling nutrients and storing carbon. They also regulate water flow, recharge groundwater and provide the ecological foundation for birds, fish and aquatic vegetation,” the study reads.
Environmental scientists often describe wetlands as the “kidneys of the ecosystem” because of their remarkable ability to purify water and maintain ecological balance.
Kashmir’s wetlands perform an even greater role. They absorb excess floodwaters during heavy rainfall, sustain fisheries and agriculture, provide habitat to thousands of migratory birds arriving from Central Asia every winter and support livelihoods for local communities.
The degradation of wetland soils, researchers warn, threatens all of these ecological services.
The findings come at a time when Kashmir’s wetlands are already under pressure from climate change, shrinking water spread and increasing urbanisation. Recent studies have shown that several wetlands in the Valley have lost substantial portions of their area over the past few decades due to encroachment and land-use change.
The authors argue that conservation efforts must move beyond protecting visible water bodies and focus equally on preserving soil fertility, microbial diversity and the ecological processes operating below the surface. They call for stronger wetland governance, stricter regulation of waste disposal, scientific management of tourism activities and restoration programmes aimed at improving soil and water quality.
“For generations, Kashmir’s wetlands have quietly protected the Valley — filtering its waters, buffering floods and nurturing biodiversity,” the study reads.
The latest research suggests that saving these ecosystems may now depend on protecting something often overlooked but fundamentally important: the soil beneath our feet.
