Abstract
As part of a long time analysis to examine the ecological impacts of heavy rain coupled to soil degradation, soil fungal communities from two closely spaced sites bearing distinct ecology—one receiving heaviest rainfall but degraded patch on earth and the other pristine sacred grove forest were investigated over a period of three years. Cherrapunji besides being highest rainfall receiving area, is characterized by complete deforestation and soil erosion with sparse grasses forming the surface growth, whereas the sacred forests are conserved in their pristine nature due to religious beliefs of the indigenous tribes. The effect of deforestation and land degradation on soil microbes, soil organic carbon, soil nitrate nitrogen, soil pH, soil temperature, and fungal CFU/g were investigated from the two contrasting sites. The sites showed great variability in physical and chemical parameters including soil composition, temperature, pH, soil carbon, nitrogen content, water availability and enzyme activities. The population count of fungi was higher in sacred forest soil than degraded land of Cherrapunji. In both soil types, Penicillium perpurogenum markedly dominated and the co-dominant species (Aspergillus sp., Fusarium sp. and Trichoderma sp.) were common in both virgin and degraded soils. A total of 63 species were identified during the study period. The species composition between the two sites showed some variation as Syncephalastrum sp., S. chartarum, Gliocladium sp., Eupenicillium osmophilum and Eurotium sp. were not present in Cherrapunji. The undisturbed sacred forest fungal communities had significantly higher Simpson, Shannon and evenness indices than that of degraded soil of Cherrapunji. The prolonged anthropogenic activity in the area leading to degradation coupled with heavy rainfall has decreased the diversity level of fungal communities and masked the pristine differentiating effect of soil on the fungal community.
Highlights
Soils provide a complex microhabitat for harboring diverse groups of microorganisms [1,2] and a number of studies point to the inherently complex compositional structure of soil microbial communities [3,4]
As part of a long time analysis to examine the ecological impacts of heavy rain coupled to soil degradation, soil fungal communities from two closely spaced sites bearing distinct ecology—one receiving heaviest rainfall but degraded patch on earth and the other pristine sacred grove forest were investigated over a period of three years
Soil carbon content and nitrate nitrogen contents were high in the soil of undisturbed forest whereas it is low on degraded land
Summary
Soils provide a complex microhabitat for harboring diverse groups of microorganisms [1,2] and a number of studies point to the inherently complex compositional structure of soil microbial communities [3,4]. Microorganisms play an important role in nutritional chains that are an important part of the biological balance in the life in our planet and their activities are regulated by biotic and abiotic factors such as the quantity and quality of litter inputs, temperature, moisture etc. Feedbacks from ecosystem to the atmosphere may be regulated by soil microbial communities [5]. Fungi are important in ecosystem functions such as in organic matter decomposition processes [6]. In the microbial communities of soil, fungi play important roles in decomposition via soil nutrient recycling and the accumulation of soil organic matter [7]. Reports are available on the environmental and geographical influences on the structure of terrestrial and aquatic microbial communities [8]. Literature on the relative contributions of geographical distance and environmental habitat is limited
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