Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Purnima Micro Paper Pub
Purnima Micro Paper Pub
Purnima Micro Paper Pub
*Corresponding author
ABSTRACT
A substantial parameter that links plants to the soil is microbial biomass. Measurement of
the biologically-active fractions of the soil organic matter, is a good way to quantify the
quality of the soil. In the study, the impact of canopy and seasonal dynamics on different
forest soil microbial community composition in Mid Hills of Himachal Pradesh were
Keywords
investigated in the forest floor under a stand of five forest ecosystems. Soil samples were
Forest ecosystem, collected from the organic layer and topsoil. Microbial biomass was determined by using
Meteorological factors, soil fumigation extraction method and enumeration of microbial population was done by
Microbial count, Soil
microbial biomass and plate count technique through serial dilution using a variety of media. The study revealed
Soil nutrient pool that seasonal changes have a significant effect on the quantities of microbial biomass and
Article Info count found in the forest floor. According to our study, the greatest amount of microbial
biomass and count in the forest floor occurred during summer season. The total microbial
Accepted: count (Bacteria 206.97cfu g-1, Fungi 2.22cfu g-1 and Actinomycetes 8.78cfu g-1) was found
06 August 2018 highest in Ban Oak Forest and about 1521.37 µg C g-1 registered highest soil microbial
Available Online: biomass under Ban Oak Forest. The microbial properties followed the trend of Ban Oak
10 September 2018 Forest > Mixed Forest > Chir Pine Forest > Agriculture Field > Bare Area. The results
indicates that litter quality and seasonal dynamics associated with different environmental
factors like pH, moisture and temperature are crucial in determining the relative abundance
of soil microbial community found in different forest ecosystem.
494
Int.J.Curr.Microbiol.App.Sci (2018) 7(9): 494-502
compared to changes in soil organic matter Solan, Himachal Pradesh. The investigation
content or other soil physical and chemical was carried out in Dr. Yashwant Singh Parmar
properties (Pankhurst et al., 1997). Soil University of Horticulture and Forestry Nauni,
metabolic activities depend on microbial Solan (HP) during winter and summer season
species composition, which in turn influenced of 2015-16. The area is situated between
by litter availability, soil type and other 30.52 ̊ N and 77.10 ̊ E with elevation ranges
environmental factors (Samuel, 2010). The from 1232 to 1264m. The research area was
environmental factors that regulate microbial divided into five different sites as Chir Pine
community composition may assist to forest (F1), Mixed forest (F2), Ban Oak forest
understand soil biogeochemical processes (F3), Agricultural field (F4) and Bare area
(Keith- Roach et al., 2002). The seasonal (F5) as shown in Figure 1.
changes affect the soil moisture, soil
temperature, root activity and amount of Ecology and biological properties were
organic matter give rise to fluctuations in the determined in the laboratory by using
soil. Also, these fluctuations vary according to following methods:
factors such as soil type, amount and type of
vegetation, land use and management (Kramer Litter layer characteristics
and Green 2000; Chen et al., 2003).
A general forest floor survey was conducted at
Soil microorganisms are potentially useful each forest using destructive sampling and
indicators of soil health and quality. Soil percent coverage of litter, moss and plant
microorganisms contribute to the maintenance species were recorded as shown in Table 1. A
of soil health and quality by controlling destructive sampling method was used over
processes, such as decomposition of animal- the two seasons (winter and summer) to
plant residues, biogeochemical cycles, collect seasonal data at 1400-1600 hrs on litter
formation of soil structure and its and moss moisture content through various
maintenance, and the fate of agrochemicals drying and wetting periods along altitudinal
and pollutants applied to soil. Today, variations as described by Wotton et al.,
international programs for monitoring soil (2005).
health and quality involve the measurement of
several biochemical properties such as Destructive sampling technique
microbial biomass and microbial diversity
(Nielsen and Winding, 2002; Alvarez et al., Destructive sampling method was used to
2009). measure mean surface loading by collecting
the samples at each sampling location using a
In this study, we aim to evaluate the impact of 900 cm2 grid. Averages amongst the four
canopy cover (oak and pine litter) and season replicates in different forests viz., Chir pine
dynamics on relative abundance of soil forest (F1), Mixed forest (F2) and Ban oak
microbial community, soil organic and forest (F3) for each substrate layer were used
microbial biomass carbon in different forest to determine a value for total surface loading
ecosystem. at each site. Surface thickness of litter layer
was measured with the help of meter rod.
Materials and Methods However, the forest ecosystem having
different forest vegetation have dead and
The study was conducted in different forest decaying material lying on the ground as per
ecosystems at University campus of Nauni, the forest area and no such material was found
495
Int.J.Curr.Microbiol.App.Sci (2018) 7(9): 494-502
in agriculture field and bare area (control winter season (0.61 kg m-2). The interaction of
conditions). Therefore, for completion of forest type X season on surface loading of mid
minimum requirement of design (RBD hills of HP was found to be significant. The
factorial) and for statistical analysis of litter maximum surface loading was found in chir
layer characteristics, the number of pine forest (F1) during summer season (2.16
replications have been increased to four by kg m-2) and minimum in mixed forest (F2)
considering different forest types viz., chir during summer season (0.16 kg m-2). The
pine forest (F1), mixed forest (F2) and ban oak results were probably due to woody material
forest (F3), during winter and summer seasons was found on the surface of forest floor of chir
of 2015-2016. pine forest consisted of volatile material with
minimum decomposition rate, year to year
Total microbial count build up as compared to ban oak and mixed
forest.
The enumeration of microbial population was
done by plate count technique through serial Surface thickness
dilution using a variety of media (Wollum,
1982). Table 2 depicts the microclimatic seasonal
variations and interactions of surface thickness
Microbial biomass in all forest types during winter and summer
season in 2015-2016. Significant differences
The biomass was obtained by using soil were obtained in all three forests during winter
fumigation- extraction method given by Vance and summer seasons. The maximum surface
et al., (1987). thickness of (2.91 cm) was found in chir pine
forest (F1) and minimum in ban oak forest (F3)
Results and Discussion (1.28 cm). Surface thickness of summer
season (2.02 cm) was significantly higher than
The important litter layer characteristics Viz. winter season (1.58 cm). The interaction of
surface loading and surface thickness were forest type X season on surface thickness of
taken into account to exhibit significant mid hills of HP was found to be significant.
microclimatic variation under selected forest The maximum surface thickness (3.52 cm)
ecosystem results obtained are presented as was found in chir pine forest (F1) during
under: summer season and minimum (0.82 cm) in
mixed forest (F2) during summer season which
Surface loading was statistically at par with ban oak forest (F3)
(0.83 cm) during winter season. The results
The data represents the interaction of mean were probably due to structure and
surface loading in three different forest types composition of the decomposed material, the
during winter and summer season 2015-2016 underlying organic layer and soil. The results
as shown in Table 2. Significant difference are in consonance with Sohng et al., (2014)
was found between three forests in mean and Nelson (2001).
surface loading during winter and summer
seasons. The maximum surface loading of The important biological properties Viz.
(1.75 kg m-2) was observed in Chir pine forest microbial count and microbial biomass were
(F1) and minimum of (0.24 kg m-2) in mixed analysed for studying the microclimatic
forest (F2). The maximum surface loading was variations among different forest ecosystem.
found in summer season (0.93 kg m-2) than The results obtained are presented as under:
496
Int.J.Curr.Microbiol.App.Sci (2018) 7(9): 494-502
497
Int.J.Curr.Microbiol.App.Sci (2018) 7(9): 494-502
498
Int.J.Curr.Microbiol.App.Sci (2018) 7(9): 494-502
Table.2 Seasonal variation in surface loading and surface thickness under different forest
ecosystem in mid hills of Himachal Pradesh
Table.3 Seasonal variation in soil microbial count under different forest ecosystem in mid hills
of Himachal Pradesh
Table.4 Seasonal variation in Soil Microbial Biomass under different forest ecosystem in mid
hills of Himachal Pradesh
499
Int.J.Curr.Microbiol.App.Sci (2018) 7(9): 494-502
500
Int.J.Curr.Microbiol.App.Sci (2018) 7(9): 494-502
temperature, organic matter content and for Non- Additive Effects in Litter
structure of microbial community. Decomposition. PLoS ONE. 8: e62671.
Chen, C. R., Condron, L. M., Davis, M. R.
Seasonal changes in environmental conditions and Sherlock, R. R. 2003. Seasonal
such as temperature and moisture facilitate changes in soil phosphorus and
the turnover of microbial biomass and associated microbial properties under
consequently can perform an important role in adjacent grassland and forest in New
controlling nutrient availability. Higher Zealand. Forest Ecology and
microbial biomass and count have usually Management 177: 539–557.
been observed in summer season while lower Esperschutz, J., Zimmermann, C., Dumig, A.,
values in winter. Because microbial biomass Welz, G., Buegger, F., Elmer, M.,
is used as indicator of soil activity, our Munch, J.C. and Schloter, M. 2013.
findings suggest that under the very humid Dynamics of microbial communities
region of forest ecosystem, soil may be more during decomposition of litter from
active in summer than in winter. pioneering plants in initial soil
ecosystems. Biogeosciences. 10: 5115–
Acknowledgement 5124.
Keith-Roach, M.J., Bryan, N.D., Bardgett,
The assistance provided by Dr S K Bhardwaj R.D. and Livens, F.R. 2002. Seasonal
Prof. & Head, Department of Environmental changes in the microbial community of
Science, and Dr. R.K. Gupta, Professor a salt marsh, measured by phospholipid
(Statistics), Department of Basic Sciences, Dr fatty acid analysis. Biogeochemistry. 60:
Y S Parmar University of Horticulture and 77–96.
Forestry, Nauni, HP-India in the present study Kramer, S. and Green, D. M. 2000. Acid and
is highly acknowledged. alkaline phosphatase dynamics and their
relationship to soil microclimate in a
References semiarid woodland. Soil Biology and
Biochemistry. 32: 179–188.
Alvarez, E., Torrado, V.M., Fernandez Meng, F.J., Huang, F.L., Wang, Q. 2012. The
Marcos M.L. and Diaz-Ravia, M. 2009. effects of exotic and native poplars on
Microbial biomass and activity in a rhizosphere soil microbe and enzyme
forest soil under different tree species. activity. Afr J Biotechnol. 11: 1412-
Electronic Journal of Environmental, 1418.
Agricultural and Food Chemistry. 8 (9): Nelson, R.M. 2001. Water relations of forest
878–887. fuels. In: Forest fires: Behaviuor and
Banning, N.C., Gleeson, D.B., Grigg, A.H., ecological effects (A. Johnson and K.
Grant, C.D., Andersen, G.L., Brodie, Miyanishi, eds.). Academic press. San
E.L. and Murphy, D.V. 2011. Soil Diego, California. 79-143
microbial community successional Nielsen, M. N. and Winding, A. 2002.
patterns during forest ecosystem Microorganisms as Indicators of Soil
restoration. Appl Environ Microbiol. 77: Health. National Environmental
6158-6164. Research Institute, Technical Report
Chapman, S.K., Newman, G.S., Hart, S.C., No. 388, Denmark 1–84.
Schweitzer, J.A., Koch and G.W. 2013. Pankhurst, C. E., Doube, B. M. and Gupta, V.
Leaf Litter Mixtures Alter Microbial V. S. R. 1997. Biological indicators of
Community Development: Mechanisms soil health: synthesis. In: C. E.
501
Int.J.Curr.Microbiol.App.Sci (2018) 7(9): 494-502
Purnima Mehta, P.K. Baweja, S.K. Bhardwaj and Aggarwal, R.K. 2018. Impact of Canopy and
Seasonal Dynamics on Different Forest Soil Microbial Community Composition in Mid Hills
of Himachal Pradesh. Int.J.Curr.Microbiol.App.Sci. 7(09): 494-502.
doi: https://doi.org/10.20546/ijcmas.2018.709.059
502