Influence of soil properties on microbial populations, activity and biomass in humid subtropical mountainous ecosystems of India |
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Authors: | K Arunachalam A Arunachalam N P Melkania |
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Institution: | (1) Restoration Ecology Laboratory, Department of Forestry, North Eastern Regional Institute of Science and Technology, Nirjuli-791109, Arunachal Pradesh, India, IN |
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Abstract: | Microbial populations, biomass, soil respiration and enzyme activities were determined in slightly acid organic soils of
major mountainous humid subtropical terrestrial ecosystems, along a soil fertility gradient, in order to evaluate the influence
of soil properties on microbial populations, activity and biomass and to understand the dynamics of the microbial biomass
in degraded ecosystems and mature forest. Although the population of fungi was highest in the undisturbed forest (Sacred Grove),
soil respiration was lowest in the 7-year-old regrowth and in natural grassland (approximately 373 μg g–1 h–1). Dehydrogenase and urease activities were high in "jhum" fallow, and among the forest stands they were highest in the 7-year-old
regrowth. Microbial biomass C (MBC) depended mainly on the organic C status of the soil. The MBC values were generally higher
in mature forest than in natural grassland, 1-year-old jhum fallow and the 4-year-old alder plantation. The MBC values obtained
by the chloroform-fumigation-incubation technique (330–1656 μg g–1) did not vary significantly from those obtained by the chloroform-fumigation-extraction technique (408–1684 μg g–1), however, the values correlated positively (P<0.001). The enzyme activities, soil respiration, bacterial and fungal populations and microbial biomass was greatly influenced
by several soil properties, particularly the levels of nutrients. The soil nutrient status, microbial populations, soil respiration
and dehydrogenase activity were greater in Sacred Grove, while urease activity was greater in grassland.
Received: 14 October 1998 |
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Keywords: | Dehydrogenase Microbial biomass Soil respiration Urease Humid Subtropics |
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