Microbial diversity response to changes in physical and chemical ‎properties ‎of soil caused by water erosion in the Dehbakari ‎watershed, Kerman ‎province

Saberi, Morteza; Nori, Mostafa; Ebrahimi, Mahdieh

doi:10.22111/jneh.2025.51723.2110

Microbial diversity response to changes in physical and chemical ‎properties ‎of soil caused by water erosion in the Dehbakari ‎watershed, Kerman ‎province

Articles in Press

Document Type : Research Article

Authors

¹ Associate Professor, Rangeland and Watershed Management Department, Faculty of Water and Soil, University of Zabol, Zabol, Iran

² MSc of Watershed Management, Department of Range and Watershed Management, Faculty of Water and Soil, University of Zabol, Zabol, Iran

10.22111/jneh.2025.51723.2110

Abstract

The lack of sufficient data in this field poses a major challenge in assessing the true effects of erosion on natural ecosystem services and the restoration of degraded environments. In this study, the relationship between microbial diversity and water erosion-induced changes in soil physical and chemical properties was investigated in the Gavor rangeland-forest land in Kerman province. Soil sampling (0-30 cm depth) was conducted based on a factorial experiment in a completely randomized design using two transects in four conditions including no erosion, low erosion, moderate erosion and severe erosion in three plots. The experimental factors included working unit (2 units), slope direction (2 directions) and erosion degree (4 degrees). Three replicate plots with specific dimensions were established for each condition. Soil physical and chemical factors were measured to evaluate the overall soil performance including bulk density, soil moisture content, acidity, dissolved organic carbon and nitrogen, total nitrogen and phosphorus, ammonium (NH4+), nitrate (NO3-), available phosphorus and potassium, net mineralized carbon, and net mineralized nitrogen. Soil biological indicators were measured including soil enzymatic activity, microbial biomass carbon and nitrogen, microbial population, soil microbial quotient, and basal microbial respiration. The results of the analysis of variance indicated significant differences in most of the physical, chemical, and biological properties of the soil. With increasing soil erosion intensity, no significant differences were observed in soil acidity, inorganic-organic carbon, nitrate, and ammonium (p>0.01). Soil erosion caused significant changes in the edaphic properties of the working unit and reduced the soil's multifunctional properties. The maximum soil moisture content, organic nitrogen, organic carbon, total phosphorus, available potassium, and ammonium were related to plots without erosion. With increasing erosion degree, the values of these parameters showed a significant decrease (p<0.01). Soil erosion has a significant effect on soil net mineralized nitrogen (p>0.01), so the highest amount of net mineralized nitrogen was measured in plots without erosion, and the lowest amount was related to plots with severe erosion. The results showed that the values of all biological parameters measured in soils with severe erosion degrees were significantly lower than those in soils without erosion and with low erosion. The highest correlation of biological indicators was with the values of carbon and inorganic nitrogen, phosphorus, and total potassium. Overall, changes in soil microbiota characteristics were strongly correlated with erosion-induced changes in some of the soil's physical and chemical properties. These results indicate that soil erosion has a significant negative impact on soil microbial and functional properties.

Keywords

Main Subjects

Environmental Hazards

References

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