Comparative Analysis of Microbiological Aspects in Forest and Agricultural Soils across Major Soil Orders of Haryana

Abstract

This study evaluates and compares the microbiological properties of forest and agricultural soils across major soil orders (Inceptisols, Entisols, Aridisols, and Alfisols) in Haryana to assess the impact of land use on soil biological health. Surface soil samples were collected at five representative sites of each soil order, spanning districts including Sirsa, Hisar, Jind, Karnal, Ambala, Mahendergarh, and Bhiwani. Composite soil samples were prepared by mixing three randomly collected auger cores per site, avoiding disturbed or recently fertilized areas. Each sample was split: one part air-dried for physico-chemical analysis, the other kept moist for immediate microbiological assessment. Forest soils exhibited 83.78 µgNH4-N g h-1 higher urease activity vs. 38.36 µgNH4-N g h-1, 65.25 µg TPF/g/ h greater dehydrogenase activity (DHA) vs 27.13 µg TPF/g/ h, 937.60 µg PNP/g/h maximum alkaline phosphatase (APA) vs. 406.80 µgPNP/g/h, higher 383.89 mg kg-1 microbial biomass carbon (MBC) vs. 107.33 mg kg-1, and greater 88.82 mg kg-1 microbial biomass nitrogen (MBN) vs. 28.32 mg kg-1 compared to agricultural systems.  Among soil orders, Inceptisols and Alfisols supported more diverse and active microbial communities compared to Aridisols and Entisols, indicating a strong relationship between inherent soil characteristics and microbial functionality. The study concludes that land use type and soil order collectively influence soil microbial dynamics, with forest ecosystems preserving higher microbial vitality. A novel observation in this investigation was the remarkably high enzymatic activity recorded in forest Alfisols, suggesting their exceptional potential for nutrient cycling and soil health preservation. These findings emphasize the need to incorporate soil biological indicators into sustainable land management practices in Haryana’s diverse agro-ecological settings.