Current Science

Open Access Open Access  Restricted Access Subscription Access

Soil Microbial Characteristics in Sub-Tropical Agro-Ecosystems of North Western Himalaya


Affiliations
1 Department of Silviculture and Agroforestry, Dr Y. S. Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, Solan 173 230, India
2 Department of Forestry, Uttar Banga Krishi Viswavidyalaya Pundibari, Cooch Behar 736 165, India
3 Department of Agronomy (Agroforestry), Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Rajiv Gandhi South Campus, Banaras Hindu University, Mirzapur 231 001, India
 

Eight predominant land use systems, viz. agriculture (T1), horticulture (T2), agrisilviculture (T3), silvopastoral (T4), agrihorticulture (T5), agrihortisilviculture (T6), forest (T7) and grassland (T8) of subtropical parts of Himachal Pradesh were selected along two altitudinal ranges A1 (365–635 m amsl) and A2 (636– 914 m amsl) to observe the variation in soil microbial activity and microbial characteristics. Agroforestry land uses and forest ecosystems displayed significantly higher microbial counts and microbial biomass carbon than agriculture and grasslands. The CO2 evolution (soil microbial activity) was found higher in agrisilviculture, agrihortisilviculture, forest and grass-land use systems at both altitudinal ranges. Soil biological properties (microbial count, microbial biomass and microbial activity) were maximum in forest landuse system. Among the agroforestry land-use systems, agrisilviculture had significantly higher microbial counts. The maximum microbial count (164.50 × 105 cfu g–1 soil) was recorded in forest and remained statistically at par with agrisilviculture (162.34 × 105 cfu g–1 soil). Minimum microbial count (80.66 × 105 cfu g–1 soil) was observed in agriculture land use. At both the altitudinal ranges, the CO2 evolution was highest at 48 h time interval and decreased thereafter. The metabolic quotient (qCO2) indicated that C-use efficiency is higher in grassland use and agriculture land use systems than other studied systems.

Keywords

Microbial Biomass Carbon, CO2 Evolution, Metabolic Quotient, Land Uses.
User
Notifications
Font Size

  • Azam, F., Farooq, S. and Lodhi, A., Microbial biomass in agricultural soils – determination, synthesis, dynamics and role in plant nutrition. Pak. J. Biol. Sci., 2003, 6, 629–639.

  • Franzluebbers, A. J., Haney, R. L. and Hons, F. M., Relationships of chloroform fumigation–incubation to soil organic matter pools. Soil Biol. Biochem., 1999, 31, 395–405.

  • Gregorich, E. G., Liang, B. C., Drury, C. F., Mackenzie, A. F. and McGill, W. B., Elucidation of the source and turnover of water soluble and microbial biomass carbon in agricultural soils. Soil Biol. Biochem., 2000, 32, 581–587.

  • Haney, R. L., Franzluebbers, A. J., Hons, F. M., Hossner, L. R. and Zuberer, D. A., Molar concentration of K2SO4 and soil pH effect estimation of extractable C with chloroform fumigation extraction. Soil Biol. Biochem., 2001, 33, 1501–1507.

  • Sharma, P., Rai, S. C., Sharma, R. and Sharma, E., Effects of landuse change on soil microbial C, N and P in a Himalayan watershed. Pedobiologia, 2004, 48, 83–92.

  • Fließbach, A., der, P. Ma and Niggli, U., Mineralization and microbial assimilation of 14C-labeled straw in soils of organic and conventional agricultural systems. Soil Biol. Biochem., 2000, 32, 1131–1139.

  • Vance, E. D., Brookes, P. C. and Jenkinson, D. S., Extraction method for measuring soil microbial biomass C. Soil Biol. Biochem., 1987, 19, 703–707.

  • Parmer, C. and Schmidt, A., Organic matter. In Methods of Soil Analysis, Part-I (ed. Black, C. A.), American Society of Agronomy Madison, USA, 1964, pp. 1395–1397.

  • Subba, Rao, N. S., Soil Microorganism and Plant Growth, Oxford & IBH Publishing Company, New Delhi, 1999, p. 252.

  • Gomez, K. A. and Gomez, A. A., Statistical Procedure for Agriculture Research, Johan Wiley, New York, 1984, 2nd edn, p. 680.

  • Arunachalam, K., Arunachalam, A. and Melkania, N. P., Influence of soil properties on microbial populations, activity and biomass in humid subtropical mountainous ecosystems of India. Biol. Fertil. Soils, 1999, 30, 217–223.

  • Hu, S., Coleman, D. C., Carroll, C. R., Hendrix, P. P. and Beare, M. H., Labile soil carbon pools in subtropical forest and agricultural ecosystems as influenced by management practices and vegetation types. Agric. Ecosyst. Environ., 1997, 65, 69–78.

  • Vance, E. D., Brookes, P. C. and Jenkinson, D. S., Microbial biomass measurements in forest soils: the use of chloroform fumigation– incubation methods for strongly acid soils. Soil Biol. Biochem., 1987, 19, 697–702.

  • Hernot, J. and Robertson, G. P., Vegetation removal in two soils of the humid tropics: effect on microbial biomass. Soil Biol. Biochem., 1994, 26, 111–116.

  • Bauhus, J. D., Pare, D. and Cote, L., Effects of tree species, stand age, and soil type on soil microbial biomass and its activity in a southern boreal forest. Soil Biol. Biochem., 1998, 30, 1077–1089.

  • Tracy, B. F. and Frank, D. A., Herbivore influence on soil microbial biomass and nitrogen mineralization in a northern grassland ecosystem: Yellowstone National Park. Oecologia, 1998, 114, 556–562.

  • Kara, O. and Bolat, I., Impact of alkaline dust pollution on soil microbial biomass carbon. Turk. J. Agric. For., 2007, 31, 181– 187.

  • Tank, J. L., Webster, J. R. and Benfield, E. F., Microbial respiration on decaying leaves and sticks in a southern Appalachian stream. J. North. Am. Benthol. Soc., 1993, 12, 394–405.

  • Paul, R. W., Benfield, E. F. and Cairns, J., Effects of thermal discharge on leaf decomposition in a river ecosystem. Verhandlungen der Internationalen Vereinigung fur Theoretische und Angewandte Limnologie, 1978, 20, 1759–1766.

  • Anderson, T. H and Domsch, K. H., Soil Microbial biomass: The ecophysiological approach. Soil Biol. Biochem., 2010, 42, 2039– 2043.


Abstract Views: 372

PDF Views: 122




  • Soil Microbial Characteristics in Sub-Tropical Agro-Ecosystems of North Western Himalaya

Abstract Views: 372  |  PDF Views: 122

Authors

Rahul Singh
Department of Silviculture and Agroforestry, Dr Y. S. Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, Solan 173 230, India
D. R. Bhardwaj
Department of Silviculture and Agroforestry, Dr Y. S. Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, Solan 173 230, India
Nazir A. Pala
Department of Forestry, Uttar Banga Krishi Viswavidyalaya Pundibari, Cooch Behar 736 165, India
Rajesh Kaushal
Department of Silviculture and Agroforestry, Dr Y. S. Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, Solan 173 230, India
Bhalendra Singh Rajput
Department of Agronomy (Agroforestry), Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Rajiv Gandhi South Campus, Banaras Hindu University, Mirzapur 231 001, India

Abstract


Eight predominant land use systems, viz. agriculture (T1), horticulture (T2), agrisilviculture (T3), silvopastoral (T4), agrihorticulture (T5), agrihortisilviculture (T6), forest (T7) and grassland (T8) of subtropical parts of Himachal Pradesh were selected along two altitudinal ranges A1 (365–635 m amsl) and A2 (636– 914 m amsl) to observe the variation in soil microbial activity and microbial characteristics. Agroforestry land uses and forest ecosystems displayed significantly higher microbial counts and microbial biomass carbon than agriculture and grasslands. The CO2 evolution (soil microbial activity) was found higher in agrisilviculture, agrihortisilviculture, forest and grass-land use systems at both altitudinal ranges. Soil biological properties (microbial count, microbial biomass and microbial activity) were maximum in forest landuse system. Among the agroforestry land-use systems, agrisilviculture had significantly higher microbial counts. The maximum microbial count (164.50 × 105 cfu g–1 soil) was recorded in forest and remained statistically at par with agrisilviculture (162.34 × 105 cfu g–1 soil). Minimum microbial count (80.66 × 105 cfu g–1 soil) was observed in agriculture land use. At both the altitudinal ranges, the CO2 evolution was highest at 48 h time interval and decreased thereafter. The metabolic quotient (qCO2) indicated that C-use efficiency is higher in grassland use and agriculture land use systems than other studied systems.

Keywords


Microbial Biomass Carbon, CO2 Evolution, Metabolic Quotient, Land Uses.

References





DOI: https://doi.org/10.18520/cs%2Fv115%2Fi10%2F1956-1959