Soil Physical Characteristics of Community-Managed Agroforestry Systems Surrounding Wera Nature Tourism Park, Central Sulawesi, Indonesia

Agroforestry systems play an important role in maintaining soil quality and supporting sustainable land management in buffer zones surrounding conservation areas. This study aimed to evaluate soil physical properties under simple and complex agroforestry systems on community-managed agroforestry lands surrounding Wera Nature Tourism Park, Central Sulawesi, Indonesia. A field survey was conducted using purposive sampling. Two observation plots were established for each agroforestry system, resulting in four plots in total. Disturbed and undisturbed soil samples were collected at a depth of 0–20 cm and analyzed for soil texture, bulk density, total porosity, saturated hydraulic conductivity (Ksat), and soil color using standard laboratory procedures. The results showed clear differences in soil physical properties between the two agroforestry systems. The complex agroforestry system exhibited a sandy clay loam texture, higher bulk density (1.27 g cm⁻³), lower total porosity (39.49%), higher saturated hydraulic conductivity (9.85 cm h⁻¹), and darker soil color (7.5 YR 2.5/3, very dark brown). In contrast, the simple agroforestry system showed a sandy loam texture, lower bulk density (1.18 g cm⁻³), higher total porosity (47.69%), lower saturated hydraulic conductivity (2.66 cm h⁻¹), and lighter soil color (10 YR 7/4, dark yellowish brown). These findings indicate that differences in agroforestry system complexity significantly influence soil physical conditions. The study highlights the importance of agroforestry management practices that enhance organic matter input and maintain soil structural integrity to support sustainable land use in conservation buffer zones.