Assessment of the Physicochemical and Microbial Properties of Rhizosphere Soils Under Mono-plantations and Rain Forest in South Eastern Nigeria (original) (raw)
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International Journal of Agriculture and Forestry, 2015
Soil chemical properties and microbial populations were determined in this study in order to compare the contributions of microorganisms to soil fertility in three land use types in an Ultisol of southeastern Nigeria. A total of 27 samples were collected from 0-20 cm depth as follows: 21 samples from a fallow land (3 replicates from 7 plots) that has been under 10-year fallow, three samples from an adjacent forestland and finally, three samples from an adjacent cultivated land owned by a farmer. These samples were air dried, passed through a 2-mm sieve before soil properties were determined following standard methods. Fresh soil samples were used to determine the number of soil microorganisms via the dilution spread plate technique using the nutrient agar for bacteria and potato dextrose agar for fungi. Results showed that the forest and fallow lands had significantly (P < 0.05) lower mean pH value, available P, exchangeable K and Na, but significantly higher exchangeable H and bacteria population than the cultivated land. The mean exchangeable Ca was significantly (p < 0.05) higher in the cultivated land than in the fallow land but similar to that from the forestland. The fungi population was significantly (p < 0.05) higher in the forestland than in others which are similar statistically. The mean soil organic matter, total N, exchangeable Mg, exchangeable Al and CEC were statistically similar in all the land use types. Contributions of microorganisms to soil fertility were generally more in the uncultivated lands, an indication that tillage operations may have affected the microbial populations. Significant correlations (p < 0.05) obtained between some soil chemical properties and microbial densities signify important roles microorganism play in soil nutrient build up.
Agricultural Sciences, 2011
Assessment of soil quality is an invaluable tool in determining the sustainability and environmental impact of agricultural ecosystems. The study was conducted to assess the quality of the soils under arable cultivation, locally irrigated and non-irrigated, forestry plantations of teak (Tectona grandis Lin.) and gmelina (Gmelina arborea Roxb.), and cashew (Anacardium occidentale Lin.) plantation agro ecosystems using soil organic carbon (SOC), soil total nitrogen (STN) and soil microbial biomass C (SMBC) and N (SMBN) at Minna in the southern Guinea savanna of Nigeria. Soil samples were collected from soil depths of 0-5 cm and 5-10 cm in all the agro ecosystems and analyzed for physical, chemical and biological properties. All the agro ecosystems had similar loamy soil texture at both depths. The soils have high fertility status in terms of available phosphorus and exchangeable calcium, magnesium and potassium. The irrigated arable land had significantly (P < 0.05) higher SOC and STN in both soil depths than all the other soils due to greater C inputs into the soil and fertilizer application. The cashew plantation soil had the lowest SMBC value of 483 mg kg-1 while teak soil had the highest value of 766 mg kg-1 which was significantly (P < 0.05) different from that of the other soils at the surface layer. At both soil depths, in all the soils, the SMBC/SMBN ratios were >6.6 suggesting fungal domination in all the agroecosystems. The forestry plantation soils had higher SMBC and SMBN as a percentage of SOC and STN respectively than the cultivated arable land soils. Burning for clearing vegetation and poor stocking of forestry plantations may impair the quality of the soil. The study suggests that the locally irrigated agroecosystem soil seems to be of better quality than the other agroecosystem soils.
2020
Deforestation and degradation greatly affect the population of soil microbes and reduces the quality of the soil. This study was carried out to assess the physiochemical and microbial properties of soil of a disturbed forest in Ondo state, Nigeria. Data collection took place in Osse River Park. Two parallel line transects of 200 m apart were laid and two equal sample plots (50 m × 50 m) were laid in alternate direction of each transect. The sample plots laid in the disturbed forest was used for soil collection. Soil samples were collected at three depths (0-15 cm, 15-30 cm and 30-45 cm) along the diagonal for each of the sample plot with the aid of soil auger. The standard procedure for determining the total number of soil microbes was adopted for bacteria and fungi culturing. The results obtained in this study revealed that sand content, organic matter, organic carbon, calcium, phosphorous and nitrogen reduces significantly as the depth increases. Mean values for sand ranged from 66.6-77.1 and the silt content ranged from 5.94 to 8.2. Clay, silt and magnesium were higher in depth 30-45 cm than any other depths. At different depth, significant difference was observed in the organic matter. Soil pH, magnesium, potassium, calcium and sodium were not significantly different within the soil depths. Irrespective of the depth, soil pH ranged from 5.69-6.66 which shows that the soil is slightly acidic. A total number of eight fungi and nine bacteria were isolated in the study area. Negative and positive correlations were found in the soil properties when the level of relationship was tested. This study concluded that deforestation affects soil quality and microbial diversity. Degraded forests should be protected and should be allowed to recuperate and the remaining forests should be protected from further anthropogenic activities.
The present study was undertaken May-September (2007) to investigate the effect of organic viz., plant compost (PC), vermicompost (VC), integrated plant compost (IPC) and farmyard manure (FYM) and inorganic (NPK) fertilisers on the rhizosphere microbial population and soil physico chemical properties of soybean variety JS80-21. Control (CON) plot was also maintained without any fertilisers. Results showed that application of organic fertilisers had enhanced the microbial population compared to NPK and CON. The highest fungal and bacterial population was recorded in VC and the least in CON plot. Application of organic fertilisers also showed increase in rhizosphere soil physicochemical properties compared to NPK and CON plots. The above finding revealed that organic fertilisers would be able to sustain the soil fertility for a longer period by meeting the demand of present and future generation.
European Journal of Soil Biology, 2014
Deforestation is a common practice worldwide in order to gain agricultural land. In Filyria, Kilkis, Greece, three major deforestations took place in 1933, 1971 and 1980. Cultivation effects, referring to soil microbial properties are studied, in deforested fields, using the adjacent remaining oak forest as reference. The soils are cultivated with cotton (conventional tillage and irrigation, alternation with wheat every two years) or wheat (reduced tillage and no irrigation). The estimation and interpretation of the microbial properties were based on the analyses of soil organic carbon (SOC), microbial biomass carbon (MBC), the MBC/SOC ratio, potential soil respiration (SR), and the metabolic quotient (qCO 2 ). The forest ecosystem appears to provide better conditions for microbial growth and activity, having significantly greater SOC (31.8 g C kg À1 soil in forest versus 9.6 g C kg À1 soil in crop plots), MBC (1080 mg C kg À1 soil in forest versus 492 mg C kg À1 soil in crop plots) and SR (4.78 mg C CO 2 kg À1 soil d À1 in forest versus 2.99 mg C CO 2 kg À1 soil d À1 in crop plots), and significantly lower qCO 2 rates than the crop plots although its organic matter quality results to a lower MBC/SOC ratio. The number of years since deforestation played a major role for most of the parameters analyzed, although after many years the equilibrium reached by the ecosystem appeared to moderate the differences. Disturbance through cultivation decreases soil quality. Reduced tillage without irrigation of the wheat crops leads to more suitable conditions for the microbial populations (as expressed by the microbiological properties) than conventional tillage with irrigation of the cotton crops.
Meta Gene, 2019
In Northeast India, widely practiced shifting cultivation practice created various land uses associated with altered soil biochemical and microbial attributes. The present study aimed to analyze soil biochemical and microbial characteristics in rhizosphere using Illumina paired-end sequencing in five dominant land uses (Oil Palm Plantation, OPP; Bamboo Forest, BF; Rubber Plantation, RP; Fallow Land, FL and Natural Forest, NF) of Mizoram, Northeast India. The soils of different land uses were strongly acidic (pH ranged from 4.4-5.3) in nature reflecting the dominance of acidophilic soil microbes (e.g. Acidobacteria, Proteobacteria and Verrucomicrobia) and majority of unassigned bacteria accounting > 50% of all sequences. NF soil showed high organic carbon and total nitrogen (TN), however, levels of available phosphorous (P avail), microbial biomass carbon, ammonium and nitrate nitrogen, and rates of N-mineralization (N-min) were considerably high in BF. Basal soil respiration significantly (p < .05) varied across land uses with maximum in RP and minimum in BF. Species diversity estimator showed highest bacterial diversity in BF (pH 5.3) and lowest in FL (pH 4.4). Acidobacteria were dominant in NF which declined with land use changes due to increase in soil pH. Soil pH was the strongest predictor variable explaining 96% variability of microbial diversity (R 2-predicted, 78%), however, it explained 99% variability (R 2-predicted, 99%) in combination with P avail and TN. High N-min rate in BF soil was corresponded with maximum abundance of Nitrospirae. The study indicated that the changing land use patterns in this region are intertwined with changing soil biochemical and bacterial community structure.
This study evaluated the relationship between selected physicochemical properties and microbial populations of the soil of Bagale Forest Reserve, Girei Local Government Area of Adamawa State, Nigeria. Five plots of 20 x 20 m were laid. Soil samples were collected from five different positions at two soil depths of 0-15 cm and 15-30 cm. The soil samples were isolated in the laboratory for microbial populations and determination of physical and chemical properties. The results obtained revealed that fungal population (7.65 x 105 cfu/ml) was the highest at the soil depth of 0-15 cm, representing 39% of the total microbial populations in the sampled soil of the study area. The results further revealed that the population (6.84 x 105 cfu/ml) of the bacteria had a positive effect on soils of the study area in terms of nitrogen fixation by Rhizobacterial spp. Chemical properties of the soil samples revealed that the available phosphorus exhibited the highest percentage (61.7%)
Ecological Processes
Background Land use/cover and management practices are widely known to influence soil organic matter (SOM) quality and quantity. The present study investigated the effect of different land use, i.e., forests viz. mixed forest cover (MFC), Prosopis juliflora (Sw.) DC-dominated forest cover (PFC), and cultivated sites viz. agriculture field (AF), vegetable field (VF), respectively, on soil parameter, microbial activity, and enzymes involved in soil nutrient cycle in a semiarid region of India. Results The results showed a significant reduction (P < 0.05) in soil carbon (SC), soil nitrogen (SN) content (~ 30–80%) and consequently the soil microbial biomass carbon (SMBC) (~ 70–80%), soil basal respiration (SBR), soil substrate-induced respiration (SSIR), and soil enzyme activities (β-glucosidase, acid phosphatase, and dehydrogenase) under cultivated sites in comparison with forest sites. Pearson’s correlation showed that a positive correlation of SC with SMBC, SBR, SSIR (P < 0.01)...
Ekológia (Bratislava)
Land use changes are local phenomena with global impact. They have an impact in a cumulative sense on biodiversity or soil degradation. This study aimed to examine the effects of different land-uses (arable land, permanent grasslands, abandoned grasslands, forest land) on the selected biotic and abiotic soil parameters in the Slovak mountain study sites Liptovská Teplička and Tajov. Biotic (microbial community structure, earthworm number and fresh body biomass, arthropod number and fresh body biomass), and abiotic chemical soil parameters (pH, total organic carbon, total nitrogen, nutrients) were measured. According to MALDI-TOF (Matrix Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization-Time of Flight), several bacterial strains were identified. Mutual relations between soil microorganisms and soil biotic and abiotic properties determined by different land uses were analysed. Microbial response expressed as average well-colour development (AWCD) values indicated relations between higher microbial...