Impact of Animal Dung on Soil pH and Microbiota
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Date
2023-12
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Lead City University
Abstract
It has been established that continuous waste disposal on land contributes to the acidification of soil and soil pH influences nutrient availability. This study investigated the impact of animal dung on soil pH and microbiota. Soil samples from five different livestock litters were collected from two medium-scale livestock farms. These included litter-free soil with pH 7 (control), and soil samples from dungs of poultry, pig, goat and cattle. Physicochemical properties of each soil samples were assessed according to standard procedure. Total heterotrophic plate count and total fungi count of each sample were determined using standard pour plate technique. Five isolates were selected for molecular identification. Data obtained were subjected to descriptive statistics and analysis of variance (ANOVA) at p = 0.05. Means were separated using Duncan Multiple Range Test of the SPSS analytical software. There were significant differences among the treatments for the parameters measured. pH value was highest in cattle dung soil (5.78) and lowest in pig dung soil (5.48). The following soil health-indicator bacteria (cellulolytic bacteria, amylolytic bacteria, proteolytic bacteria, Phosphate solubilizing bacteria, Nitrogen fixing bacteria and Actinobacteria) were identified. Microbial analyses showed that soil samples from pig dung had significantly higher microbial counts and isolates of interest compared to others except phosphate solubilizing bacteria. Probable fungi (Aspergillus niger, Rhizopus stolonifer, Fusarium oxysporum, Aspergillus flavus) accompanying bacterial isolates were observed and identified. Isolates subjected to molecular identification were identified as P. aeruginosa, B. cereus, K. pneumoniae, B. substilis and B. thuringiensis with 99% similarity search identity. Statistical analysis revealed that relationship exists between the physicochemical parameters and microbes isolated. The study observed an imbalance in the microbial population and diversity which could be because of the adaptability of the microbes to the different acidic condition observed.
Keywords: Soil acidification, Livestock farms, Soil microbiota, Soil health
Word Count: 288
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Keywords
Soil acidification, Livestock farms, Soil microbiota, Soil health
Citation
Kate Turabian