Seasonal Dynamics of Soil Microbial Biomass C, N and P along an Altitudinal Gradient in Central Himalaya, India

Vijyeta Manral, Kiran Bargali, Surendra Singh Bargali (), Himani Karki and Ravi Kant Chaturvedi ()
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Vijyeta Manral: Department of Botany, DSB Campus, Kumaun University, Nainital 263001, Uttarakhand, India
Kiran Bargali: Department of Botany, DSB Campus, Kumaun University, Nainital 263001, Uttarakhand, India
Surendra Singh Bargali: Department of Botany, DSB Campus, Kumaun University, Nainital 263001, Uttarakhand, India
Himani Karki: Department of Botany, DSB Campus, Kumaun University, Nainital 263001, Uttarakhand, India
Ravi Kant Chaturvedi: Center for Integrative Conservation, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Menglun 666303, China

Sustainability, 2023, vol. 15, issue 2, 1-11

Abstract: This study was conducted in a temperate mixed oak–pine forest of Central Himalaya, India to (i) evaluate altitudinal and seasonal variations in the microbial biomass carbon (C), nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) and (ii) analyse the relationships between soil microbial biomass C, N and P and physico-chemical properties of soil. Three permanent plots were established in natural forest stands along an altitudinal gradient, three replicates were collected seasonally from each site, and microbial biomass (C, N and P) were determined by a fumigation extraction method. Microbial biomass C, N and P decreased significantly ( p < 0.01, correlation coefficient 0.985, 0.963, 0.948, respectively) with increasing altitude having maximum values during rainy season and minimum values during winter season. Microbial biomass C, N and P showed positive correlations with silt particles, water holding capacity, bulk density, soil moisture, organic C, total N and P and negative correlations with sand particles, porosity and soil pH. Microbial biomass C was strongly associated with soil microbial N (r = 0.80, p < 0.01) and P (r = 0.89, p < 0.01) content and soil microbial biomass N and P also showed a strong linear relationship (r = 0.92, p < 0.01). Soil microbial biomass exhibited weak seasonality and was highly influenced by altitude and abiotic variables. The significantly high microbial C, N and P during the rainy season ( p < 0.01) and low microbial biomass during the winter season may be due to higher immobilization of nutrients from decomposing litter by microbes as the decomposition rate of litter and microbial activity are at their peak during the rainy period. The microbial C:N ratio indicated that soil fertility is influenced by species composition. Our findings suggested that high microbial biomass and low C:N ratios during the rainy season could be considered a nutrient conservation strategy of temperate mixed oak–pine forest ecosystems.

Keywords: abiotic variables; altitude; immobilization; mineralization; mixed oak–pine forest (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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