Abstract
Abstract Intensive agricultural practices and heavy use of inorganic fertilizers have significantly accelerated soil degradation. Mineralization of the organic matter of soil affects soil health and the abundance of soil beneficial microbes (SBMs) and its dynamics in the soil. The research to investigate the shifting of microbial population and the soil health was conducted in natural forest, agricultural, and degraded ecosystems. The research setting involved randomized block design consisting of six ecosystems, namely, natural forest, agricultural soil (oil palm: 10, 9, 8, and 7 years old), and degraded soils. The soil samples were taken with four replications from rhizomicrobiome of each land use. In the soil health analysis, it was understood that soil beneficial microbes (SBMs) consist of total bacteria, phosphate-solubilizing bacteria, nitrogen-fixing bacteria, total actinomycetes, and total fungi). The results showed that natural forest, oil palm plantation, and degraded land demonstrated a significant effect on the changes in biodiversity of SBM in rhizomicrobiome. The highest population of SBMs was in natural forest followed by the 10-year-old oil palm plantations and the lowest was recorded in degraded soils. These results confirm that the shift of forest ecosystems to agricultural soils will accelerate the degradation and decline of soil health.
Highlights
Natural forest areas in Indonesia are in critical condition and decreasing continually as a consequence of land conversion to agricultural soils and other uses
The results showed that natural forest, oil palm plantation, and degraded land demonstrated a significant effect on the changes in biodiversity of soil beneficial microbes (SBMs) in rhizomicrobiome
This study focused to evaluate the soil health and the richness of soil microbial population due to the conversion of natural forest to oil palm plantation
Summary
Natural forest areas in Indonesia are in critical condition and decreasing continually as a consequence of land conversion to agricultural soils and other uses. Agricultural practice in oil palm plantation might decrease the soil quality and the abundance of SBMs. Oil palms require higher nutrients such as 1,162 kg Nitrogen ha−1, 124 Phosphor kg ha−1, and 1,673 kg Potassium ha−1, compared to rubber plantation 60 kg Nitrogen ha−1, 60 kg Phosphor ha−1, and 40 kg Potassium ha−1 (Tarmizi and Tayeb 2006; Mandal et al 2015). Oil palms require higher nutrients such as 1,162 kg Nitrogen ha−1, 124 Phosphor kg ha−1, and 1,673 kg Potassium ha−1, compared to rubber plantation 60 kg Nitrogen ha−1, 60 kg Phosphor ha−1, and 40 kg Potassium ha−1 (Tarmizi and Tayeb 2006; Mandal et al 2015) This condition makes oil palm plantation highly depend on inorganic fertilizer. Intensive use of inorganic fertilizer accelerates the carbon mineralization and disturbs soil nutrient cycle which in turn decreases soil chemical
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