Microbial community composition of latosols under a rubber plantation

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate impacts of rubber tree plantations on soil microbial communities, varying in soil parent materials, by using phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) analysis. Soils formed by basalt had a higher total microbial biomass indicated by PLFAs concentration than in soils formed by granite and neritic sediment. The ratio of fungi to bacteria biomass was significantly greater in rubber plantations than in grass fields on soils developed from the same parent material. The primary difference in microbial community structure of the 11 soils was between soils formed by basalt versus soils formed by granite and neritic sediment.