Abstract
Microorganisms play vital role in keeping soil healthy. Bacteria, Fungi and Actinobacteria are active in degrading soil organic matter which improves soil ecosystem functioning. There exists a dearth of information on the influence of land-use on diversity of microbes in different soil aggregate sizes in Northern Guinea Savanna of Nigeria. This study assessed the diversity of soil microbes under six different land-use practices namely forest, fallow, pasture legume, pasture cereal, date palm plantation and continuous cultivated. In each land-use soil samples were collected at two depths (0-5 cm and 5-20 cm). The soil samples were divided into two parts, one part was left as collected from the field sites (bulk soil) and the other part was separated into three aggregate fractions (>250 µm, >53 µm and <53 µm). Bacteria, Fungi and Actinobacteria were cultured, isolated and identified, and some soil chemical properties were determined. Colony forming units per gram of soil (CFU/g soil) was computed for the soil microbes. Results revealed that Bacteria is the predominant soil microbe followed by Actinobacteria and then Fungi in all the land-uses. Bacteria population ranged from 1.49x107to 8.65x107CFU/g soil, Actinobacteria population ranged from 9.32x105 to 5.85x106 CFU/g soil and Fungi population ranged between 6.75x104 and 4.21x105 CFU/g soil. Higher microbial population were observed in forest soil than soils of the other land-uses. Continuously cultivated land had the least microbial population. Silt + clay soil fraction had significantly higher bacteria while the bulk soil was significantly richer in fungal population.
Highlights
The continued existence of human beings is predicated upon the quality of land resources available for use
Organic matter mediates several vital processes in soil and determines to a great extent the kind of microorganisms found in soils (Borie et al, 2008; Joshi et al, 2009)
The objective of this study is to determine the effect of land-use on the colony forming units and diversity of soil bacteria, fungi and actinobacteria, and to assess the distribution and diversity of these soil microbes in soil aggregate fractions
Summary
The continued existence of human beings is predicated upon the quality of land resources available for use. Soil serves as the natural habitat for microorganisms and their function is coordinated primarily by the kinds of food materials available to them in soil. Soil microbes play active roles in degrading these food materials (organic matter) which helps in improving the proper functioning of the soil ecosystem. Land-use practices with high litter production or deposits would boost the activities of soil microbes and would have greater potential and capacity for agriculture (food crop production). Many anthropogenic activities in soil poses threat to agriculture, human health, environment and soil fertility status, may have impact on soil microbial population and diversity. There is scarcity of information on microbial population and diversity in varying soil aggregates sizes under different land-uses in the Northern Guinea Savanna of Nigeria. The objective of this study is to determine the effect of land-use on the colony forming units and diversity of soil bacteria, fungi and actinobacteria, and to assess the distribution and diversity of these soil microbes in soil aggregate fractions
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