Evaluation of Physicochemical Properties and Microbial Populations of Soil of Bagale Forest Reserve, Girei Local Government Area, Adamawa State, Nigeria (original) (raw)
Related papers
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.
Composite soil samples were collected from the rhizospheres of Gmelina arborea, Elaeis guineensis and Hevea brasiliensis plantations as well as the Rain Forest of over 20 years of age in Akampa L.G.A. at depths of 0-15 cm (surface soil) and 15-30 cm (sub surface soil), to examine the effects of land use and management practices on some physical, chemical and microbial properties of the soils. The soils were mainly sandy loam, strongly acid in reaction and generally low in available P, exchangeable Ca 2+ , K + and Na + , but moderate in Mg 2+ except for the surface soil in Elaeis guineensis plantation which was however, high in organic C (4.29 %), total N (0.37 %) and Mg (3.9 cmol kg-1). The soils regardless of the land use patterns were high in exchangeable acidity with Elaeis guineensis having the least values. Diverse species of microorganisms were isolated across the different plantations and rain forest, however, Elaeis guineensis recorded the highest microbial count. Land use altered the microbial population and also had an effect on the species composition of soil microbial communities. Bacillus spp, Pseudomonas spp., Fusarium spp., Penicillium spp and Mucor spp as well as Aspergillus niger were however, common across the study sites while other organisms were location specific suggesting vegetation and land use meddling. The effects of land use pattern were noted in the chemical and microbial alteration observed mostly in the top of rhizosphere soils. It is pertinent that good management practices such as liming, mulching as well as cover cropping be carried out to increase and maintain the fertility of the soils.
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.
Soil microbial status under different land use systems in Gombe state, Nigeria
World Journal of Advanced Research and Reviews, 2020
Microorganisms are of primary importance for soil quality and natural productivity. Four land use systems viz., Forestry, Horticulture, Agriculture and Pasture at four different locations viz., Bajoga, Gombe, Boderi and Kanawa were identified in determining population of microorganisms in the soil. The samples were collected, numbered and labelled with date and site of collection in an airtight pre-sterilized polyethene bags before transportation to the laboratory. Serial dilution pour plate technique was used for estimation of total bacterial, fungal, actnomycetes and azotobacter using specific media. The plates were incubated at temperatures specific to particular microbe for 2-3 days. The colonies that developed on media were counted by electronic colony counter. The microbial counts were expressed as colony forming unit per gram of soil (CFU/g soil). The highest bacterial count (CFU/g) was found in forest land use with the mean value (192.66) and the lowest (41.33) was found in agricultural land use system. The highest total fungal count (CFU/g) was recorded in forest land use with the mean value (77.33) and the lowest (10.33) was found in agricultural land use system. The highest total viable actinomycetes count (CFU/g) was recorded in forest land use with the mean value (62) and the lowest (3) was found in agricultural land use system as compared to other soils in the study area. The perusal of data reveals that for the total azotobacter count (CFU/g), the highest was recorded in forest soils because of the presence of more organic matter with mean value (22.66) as compared with the other land use systems. The lowest was found in agriculture (4.33). Lowest microbial count in agricultural soils may result to poor soil quality and natural productivity which may lead to famine a natural disaster. Planting of cover crops will improve soil structure, enhance soil fertility and sustain or increase soil organic matter and soil biological activity.
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.
Dutse Journal of Agriculture and Food Security (DU]AFS)
Excessive cultivation of soil can result in a severe decrease in microbial biomass and their activities. In spite of lots of information available depicting relationships between soil management practices and available soil microbes, same is still vaguely understood by soil scientists under tropical and subtropical conditions, especially in continuously cropped soils. A field experiment was conducted in 2013 rainy season on a Typic HaplustaLJ at the research farm of the Institute for Agricultural Research (IAR) Samaru, Zaria, Nigeria to assess the effects of two tillage practices (Conventional and Reduced) and nitrogen (N) rates (0 and 90 kg N ha") on soil bacterial population of a continuously cropped Alfisol. Statistically higher clay (5.22 %) and silt (19.67 %) fractions were observed under Conventional (CT) than Reduced Tillage (RT), which contained 4.44 % and 18.11 %, clay and silt fractions respectively. A 619.44 mg kg'! soil microbial biomass carbon (SMBC) was observed in CT and was statistically higher (POO.05) than the 483.89 mg kg'! observed in RT. Neither N nor its interaction with tillage had significant (POO.05) contribution to any of the parameters. Further research effort is, therefore, recommended on the topic so as to allow for a better understanding on the subject.
African Journal of Plant Science, 2011
In this study, soil samples were collected from 0 to 15 cm and 15 to 45 cm of secondary forest, mixed plantation, natural fallow and sole plantation. Soil samples were chemically analyzed using standard methods for organic matter, nitrate-nitrogen, pH, bulk density and available phosphorus. The results were statistically analyzed and index of deterioration was also calculated for the soil properties. Mixed plantation appeared to resemble the secondary forest in soil properties except available phosphorus. There is significant degradation of available phosphorus in mixed plantation which was probably due to the high uptake of nutrients for production of pods, nuts and beans of cocoa and kola trees that coexists to form the mixed plantation. The results suggested that establishment of sole plantation was not a viable ecological approach to soil management and conservation but mixture of trees proved advantageous to soil. Natural fallow in the absence of incessant bush fire also appear...
Soil Physicochemical Characteristics Under Different Ecosystems in Western Niger
The soil fertility constraints were assessed through the physicochemical characteristics of agrosystem and silvopastoral system in the western Niger. This study was carried out through a soil sampling and physicochemical analysis in both ecosystems. The results exhibited four homogeneous soil groups in agrosystemand three soil groups in silvopastoral system characterized by specific soil physicochemical parameters. Thus, lowland soils located in agrosystem and those of vegetated plateaus in silvopastoral system have significantly higher values of organic carbon (2±0.2 g kg-1; 5.3±0.8 g kg-1, respectively), cation exchange capacity (2.7±0.9 kg cmolc -1; 5 ± 0.8 cmolc kg-1, respectively), exchangeable bases (2.1±0.7 cmolc kg-1; 3.5±1 cmolc kg-1, respectively), and pH water (5.8±0.2, 4.8±0.5, respectively). However, the main constraints to the soil fertility of fields and fallow, crusted glacis and bare plateaus are: acidity and low levels of soil organic carbon.
Current Journal of Applied Science and Technology, 2018
Aim: The below ground biota in forest ecosystems determine and regulate the availability of nutrients in soil and is likely to indicate variation in population and metabolism with respect to the soil quality. Therefore, the present study was undertaken to study the physico-chemical characteristics, bacterial-fungal population and soil respiration in different land use zones of a sub tropical Indian forest. Methodology: Soil samples were collected from 0-20 cm depth using a core sampler (5 cm diameter) and from 12 sub plots and three regions for physicochemical and microbiological studies. For measurement of soil respiration 20 cm x 20 cm soil blocks were cut from the sub plots. Sampling was done three times in a month for two months in natural sal (Shorea robusta) forest, bamboo plantation and wet land of the Chandaka-Dampara wild life sanctuary, India in the dry season (March-April). The samples were carried to the laboratory for experimental purpose. Results: In the soil, the sand percentage varied from 81.4% (Wet land) to 89.2% (Sal forest), clay Original Research Article
Biological Indicators of Soil Condition on the Kabanyolo Experimental Field, Uganda
Agriculture
Soil biological activity is an integral characteristic reflecting the state of soil fertility, biodiversity, and the activity of soil processes carried out by soil organisms. In Africa, studies of soil biological properties are few compared to the agrochemical research. In this paper, we present an assessment of multiple biochemical and microbiological properties of soil from an agricultural field located in the African tropical savanna. We determined basal respiration, substrate-induced respiration, C of microbial biomass, the potential activity of denitrification, nitrogen fixation activity, and estimated prokaryotic components in the soil microbial complex by quantitative PCR. Basal respiration of soils ranged from 0.77 ± 0.04 to 1.90 ± 0.23 μg C-CO2·g−1·h−1, and substrate-induced respiration ranged from 3.31 ± 0.17 to 7.84 ± 1.04 μg C-CO2·g−1·h−1. The C reserves of microbial biomass averaged 403.7 ± 121.6 μg C·g−1 of soil. The N2O emission from the upper layer on average amounte...