Soil microbial biomass and population in response to seasonal variation and age in Gmelina arborea plantations in south-western Nigeria |
| |
| Authors: | Jonathan C Onyekwelu |
| |
| Institution: | 1. Department of Forestry and Wood Technology, Federal University of Technology, Akure, P.M.B. 704, Akure, Nigeria
|
| |
| Abstract: | We investigated the Effects of plantation development, seasons, and soil depth on soil microbial indices in Gmelina arborea plantations in south-western Nigeria. Soil samples were obtained from the soil depths of 0–15 and 15–30 cm from plantations
of six different ages during the rainy season, dry seasons, and their transitions. We used plate count and fumigation-extraction
methods to determine microbe population and microbial biomass carbon (MB-C) and nitrogen (MB-N), respectively. Plantation
age did not affect microbial indices, implying a non-significant effect of plantation development on microbial communities.
It could also imply that soil microbial indices had already stabilized in the sampled plantations. Seasonal variation and
soil depth had significant effects on microbial indices. At 0–15 cm soil depth, mean MB-C increased from 50.74 μg g−1 during the peak of the dry season (i.e. March) to 99.58 μg g−1 during the peak of the rainy season (i.e. September), while it increased from 36.22 μg g−1 to 75.31 μg g−1 at 15–30 cm soil depth between the same seasonal periods. Bacteria populations and MB-N showed similar increasing trends.
Correlations between MB-C, MB-N, microbe populations, and rainfall were positive and linear. Significantly higher microbial
activities took place in the plantations during the rainy season, increased with soil wetness, and decreased at greater soil
depth. |
| |
| Keywords: | Gmelina arborea plantation development seasonal variation microbe population microbial biomass sustainability Nigeria |
| 本文献已被 CNKI SpringerLink 等数据库收录！ |
|
