Effect of Soil Moisture on Microbial Populations in Upland and Lowland Soils in Sokoto State, Nigeria

Abubakar G.A. *O.S. Bello, M. Yakubu, N.D. Ibrahim and A.U. Dikko

Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Engineering Usmanu Danfodiyo University, PMB. 2346, Sokoto.

* Department of Soil Science Faculty of Agriculture, Wildlife and Forest Resource Management

University of Calabar, Calabar.

*Corresponding Author’s Email:garbaaliyuabubakar@gmail.com

Accepted 09 January, 2013

Abstract

A study was conducted to determine the effect of soil moisture on microbial population in upland and lowland soils respectively. Eight locations were selected both from upland and lowland areas in sokoto state. The study indicates the relevance of soil moisture on microbial populations i.e. bacteria and fungi. Microbial diversity may have been markedly changed with various soil moisture and such changes may affect soil fertility. The isolates identified namely Staphylobacterium marimus, Halococcus morrhyae, Thermococus celer, Halobacterium salinarium, Staphylothermus spp, Haloarcula vallismortis, Stretomycete albus, fungi Aspergillus flavus, Rhizopus spp, Thermoactinomycete, Niagrospora spp, which indicate that the higher the soil moisture the greater the bacterial and fungal populations vice versa. A value of 33.0, 1.50, 21.0, 19.0 with a mean average of 18.6% have the highest population of both bacteria and fungi in lowland areas while 13.0, 0.13, 0.70, and 0.50, with a mean of 3.6% have the lowest microbial populations in upland areas.

Keywords: upland, lowland, moisture, bacteria, fungi.

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