Soil microbial biomass and population in response to seasonal variation and age in Gmelina arborea plantations in south-western 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

References

[1] Amato M., Ladd J.N.. Assay for microbial biomass based on ninhydrin reactive nitrogen in extraction of fumigation soils. Soil Biology and Biochemistry, 1988, 20(1): 107-114.

[2] Arunachalam A., Arunachalam K.. Influence of gap size and soil properties on microbial biomass in a subtropical humid forest of north-east India. Plant and Soil, 2000, 223: 185-193.

[3] Behera N., Sahani U.. Soil microbial biomass and activity in response to Eucalyptus plantation and natural regeneration on tropical soil. Forest Ecology and Management, 2003, 174: 1-11.

[4] Behera N., Pati D.P., Basu S.. Ecological studies of soil microfungi in a tropical forest soil of Orissa, India. Tropical Ecology, 1991, 32: 136-143.

[5] Brookes P.. The soil microbial biomass: concept, measurement and application in soil ecosystem research. Microbes and Environments, 2001, 16(3): 131-140.

[6] Carnus J.M., Parrotta J., Brockerhoff E., Arbez M., Jactel H., Kremer A., Lamb D., O’Hara K., Walters B.. Planted forests and biodiversity. Journal of Forestry, 2006, 104(2): 65-77.

[7] Dutta R.K., Agrawal M.. Effect of tree plantations on the soil characteristics and microbial activity of coal mine spoil land. Tropical Ecology, 2002, 43(2): 315-324.

[8] Evans J., Turnbull J.W.. Plantation Forestry in the Tropics, 2004 3rd ed New York: Oxford University Press Inc, 467.

[9] Evans J.. The suitability of wood production in plantation forestry. Unasylva, 1998, 192(49): 47-52.

[10] Evans J.. Sustainability of forest plantations, the evidence. A review of evidence concerning the narrow-sense sustainability of planted forests. 1999, New York: Department for International Development (DFID), 64.

[11] FAO. 1998. World Reference Base for Soil Resources. Available at: ftp://ftp.fao.org/agl/agll/docs/wsrr103e.pdf. 2010-02-18.

[12] FAO. 2001. Global Forest Resources Assessment 2000. Available at: ftp://ftp.fao.org/docrep/fao/003/Y1997E/FRA%202000%20Main%20report.pdf. 2010-03-19.

[13] FAO. 2010. Global Forest Resources Assessment 2010, Main report. Available at: www.fao.org/forestry/fra/fra2010/en/. 2010-03-12.

[14] FAO. 2011. State of the World’s Forests, 2011. Aavailable at: http://www.fao.org/docrep/013/i2000e/i2000e.pdf. 2010-02-11.

[15] Hart P.B.S., August J.A., West A.W.. Long term consequences of top soil mining on biological and physical characteristics of two New Zealand loessial soils under grazed pasture. Land Degradation and Rehabilitation, 1989, 1: 77-88.

[16] Joergensen R.G., Brookes P.C.. Ninhydrin-reactive nitrogen measurement of microbial biomass in 0.5M K₂SO₄ soil extracts. Soil Biology and Biochemistry, 1990, 22: 1023-1027.

[17] Kara, Bolat. The effect of different land uses on soil microbial biomass carbon and nitrogen in Bartin Province. Turkish Journal of Agriculture and Forestry, 2008, 32: 1-8.

[18] Khan K.S., Joergensen R.G.. Microbial C, N, and P relationships in moisture stressed soils of Potohar, Pakistan. J Plant Nutr Soil Sci, 2007, 169: 494-500.

[19] Mishra A., Sharma S.D., Khan G.H.. Improvement in physical and chemical properties of sodic soil by 3, 6 and 9 years old plantation of Eucalyptus tereticornis Biorejuvenation of sodic soil. Forest Ecology and Management, 2003, 184: 115-124.

[20] Muñoz C., Zagal E., Ovalle C.. Influence of trees on Mediterranean agroforestry systems: an example from the’ Espinal’ of central Chile. European Journal of Soil Science, 2007, 58: 728-735.

[21] Ocio J.A., Brocks P.C.. An evaluation of methods for measuring the microbial biomass in soils following recent additions of wheat straw and the characterization of the biomass that develops. Soil Biology and Biochemistry, 1990, 22(5): 685-694.

[22] Onyekwelu J.C., Mosandl R., Stimm B.. Productivity, site evaluation and state of nutrition of Gmelina plantations in Oluwa and Omo forest reserves, Nigeria. Forest Ecology and Management, 2006, 229: 214-227.

[23] Onyekwelu J.C.. Guenter S., Weber M., Stimm B., Mosandl R.. Sustainability of site productivity in tropical forest plantations: case study of Gmelina arborea plantations in tropical rainforest, Nigeria. Silviculture in the Tropics, Tropical Forestry 8, Chapter 28. 2011, Springer New York: Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg, 455 462

[24] Oseni O.A., Ekperigin M.M., Akindahunsi A.A., Oboh G.. Studies of physiochemical and microbial properties of soils from rainforest and plantation in Ondo state, Nigeria. African Journal of Agricultural Research, 2007, 2(11): 605-609.

[25] Pandey D.. Yield models of plantations in the tropics. Unasylva, 1987, 39(3&4): 74-75.

[26] Ross D.J., Sparling G.P., Burke C.M., Smith C.T.. Microbial biomass C and N, and mineralizable-N, in litter and mineral soil under Pinus radiata on a coastal sand: Influence of stand age and harvest management. Plant and Soil, 1995, 175: 167-177.

[27] Sharma P., Rai S.C., Sharma R., Sharma E.. Effects of land-use change on soil microbial C, N and P in a Himalayan watershed. Pedobiologia, 2004, 48: 83-92.

[28] Singh A.N., Raghubanshi A.S., Singh J.S.. Impact of native tree plantations on mine spoil in a dry tropical environment. Forest Ecology and Management, 2004, 187: 49-60.

[29] Skovsgaard J.P., Vanclay J.K.. Forest site productivity: a review of the evolution of dendrometric concepts for even-aged stands. Forestry, 2008, 81(1): 13-29.

[30] Smyth A.J., Montgomerry R.F.. Soils and Land Use in Central Western Nigeria. 1962, Ibadan, Nigeria: Govt. Press, 265.

[31] SSS (Soil Survey Staff). 2003. Keys to soil taxonomy (9th ed). Available at: http://soil.faperta.ugm.ac.id/file/USDA%202003%20Keys%20to%20Soil%20Taxonomy.pdf. 2010-01-10, p. 332.

[32] Verburg P.S.J., VanDam D., Hefting M.M., Tietema A.. Microbial transformations of C and N in a boreal forest floor as affected by temperature. Plant and Soil, 1999, 208: 187-197.

[33] Yang J.C., Insam H.. Microbial biomass and relative contributions of bacteria and fungi in soil beneath tropical rain forest, Hainan Island, China. Journal of Tropical Ecology, 1991, 7: 385-395.