Depth Integrated Microbial Community and Physico-Chemical Properties in Mangrove Soil of Sundarban, India

Abstract

In the Sundarban Mangrove forest microbial activities are dominantly involved in both the mineralization and decomposition processes that regulate nutrient profile in soil of different depth. It was found that besides changing the water and soil quality, monsoonal cycle plays a crucial role in regulating microbial population distribution in the mangrove soil. Statistical analyses revealed that organic carbon was the most significant factor that regulated the total microbial population. The cellulose degrading bacteria, [mean value of CFU 14.32 × 106 (gm dry weight of soil)–1] was dominant throughout the year. The sulfate reducing bacteria showed an increasing trend along depth with a minimum value at the surface i.e. 6.113 × 106 (gm dry weight of soil)–1 and 12.312 × 106 (gm dry weight of soil)–1 at a depth of 60 cm. Intensification of monsoonal cycle could heavily affect microbe dominated soil biogeochemistry and subsequent change in the regional ecology of the Sundarban Mangrove Forest.