Population density of free-living nematodes and their relationships with some soil physicochemical properties in forest and agriculture soils of Gapa Valley Chalt, Gilgit, Pakistan

Muhammad Shoaib

doi:10.19045/bspab.2021.100050

Abstract

The present study was conducted in Gapa Valley, Chalt, Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan to check the relationship of free-living nematodes in association with soil physicochemical properties. Soil samples from five random sites of pine and potato fields were collected. From each site three composite soil samples were collected, one to determine soil bulk density while two to determine the physicochemical parameters and diversity of free-living nematodes. The nematodes were extracted using modified Baermann’s funnel method and the count showed that the population density of free-living nematodes was generally lower in the pine forest than potato fields. About 156 nematodes belonging to 15 families were recorded in the potato field and 39 nematodes belong to 18 families were recorded in pine forests. Moreover, remarkable differences in physiochemical properties viz., SMC (Soil moisture Content), EC (Electrical conductivity), pH, temperature, soil texture, BD (Bulk density), was found between the pine forest and potato fields. The soil of pine forest was highly acidic with pH 5.90 while the soil of potato fields was near to neutral with pH 6.53. Moreover, temperature, EC and SMC of potato fields were higher than that of pine forests. Additionally, the soil texture of potato fields was silty and sandy loamy soil whereas the soil texture of pine forest was silty but with a high amount of silt content. Finally, Pearson’s correlation showed significant positive and negative correlations between some of the soil physicochemical parameters and nematode population. Keywords: Free-living nematodes; Physiochemical; Population density; Correlation http://dx.doi.org/10.19045/bspab.2021.100050

Highlights

Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) is the mountainous region of Pakistan
Our results suggest that most of the physiochemical properties of the potato field and pine forests soils are negatively correlated with the population density of the nematodes
The soils we sampled from potato fields are likely being irrigated from the nearby rivers and pine forests receive a high amount of rainfall during the whole year

Summary

Introduction

Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) is the mountainous region of Pakistan. It contains fifty highest peaks and three world’s longest glaciers and is one of the spectacular regions of the world. The soil formation of any area depends on the climate, landscape, organisms, parent material, and time These five factors are involved in making any type of soil [3,4,5]. Soil serves as filtering media for water soil is the naturally existing place for all living things that supports and nourishes every organism Among these living things, the diversity and population density of the free-living nematodes in this region is poorly understood. They have a different mode of feedings groups while reproductively they are varied as hermaphrodites and some behaving as males all these indicate the massive diversity and distribution of nematodes [911] These free-living nematodes are good bioindicators because of the rapid life cycle they can be affected by different environmental factors of soils like climate, pH, moisture, temperature etc. Keeping in view, the importance of free-living nematodes of these harsh environmental regions, present study aimed to investigate population density of free-living nematodes in the pine forests and potato fields in relation to physicochemical properties of soil

Methods

Discussion

Conclusion