Providing soil macro-nutritional information to support decision making in forest management of Bangladesh. SUFAL Innovation Grant provided by Bangladesh Forest Department and World Bank Support Project, 2021-2023

The physical environment and biotic components (flora and fauna) of a site are highly interrelated. Soil is the most important physical component that shapes the floral and faunal composition of any site. Conversely, floral composition significantly influences the different parameters of soil in a positive way. The positive improvement of soil quality enhances the growth of plants; changes the site to a more diversified one, and improves the environmental quality (Braimoh and Vlek, 2008). Soil physicochemical factors are related to soil quality that includes some physical and chemical parameters. Although soil quality often focuses on the biological parameters of the soil of a particular site. The function of the soil system can be summarized into five basic types (i) a physical, chemical, and biophysical setting for living organisms; (ii) the regulation and partition of water flow, storage, and recycling of nutrients and other elements; (iii) support for biological activity and diversity for plant growth and animal productivity; (iv) the capacity to filter, buffer, degrade, immobilize, and detoxify organic and inorganic substances; and (v) provide mechanical support for living organisms and their structures (Karlen et al., 2008).

• Research Project