Temporal dynamics in the abundance of soil fauna, microflora, and soil biochemical properties in different agroforestry systems of Central India

Abstract

Despite an increasing body of literature on the importance of soil biodiversity, the effects of different agroforestry types and seasons on soil-dwelling fauna and microflora communities, as well as mycorrhizal glomalin and dehydrogenase activity, remain underexplored. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of land use systems, including Zizyphus mauritiana (ber), Phyllanthus emblica (aonla), Bamboosa vulgaris (bamboo), and Dalbergia sissoo (shisham)-based agroforestry systems, alongside a cultivated crop field, and seasons (summer, monsoon, and winter) on the diversity and abundance of soil fauna and microflora, dehydrogenase activity, glomalin content, and soil organic carbon (SOC) content during 2016-2019. Soil meso- and macro-fauna were collected using faunal traps, while surface soil (0-20 cm) samples were analyzed to quantify microflora counts, dehydrogenase activity, glomalin, and SOC content using standard protocols. The abundance of soil meso-fauna was highest in winter, while macro-fauna peaked during the monsoon, with both types showing the least abundance in summer. Among the agroforestry systems, shisham-based AF recorded significantly (P < 0.05) higher faunal diversity, total bacterial counts (6.57 × 10⁶ g⁻¹ soil), and SOC content (10.13 g kg⁻¹). Averaged across seasons, bamboo-based AF showed significantly (P < 0.05) higher counts of total fungi (8.30 × 10⁴ g⁻¹ soil), actinobacteria (10.41 × 10⁶ g⁻¹ soil), and Pseudomonas (65.60 × 10⁴ g⁻¹ soil). Ber-based AF had significantly (P < 0.05) higher glomalin content (755.87 μg g⁻¹ soil) and dehydrogenase activity (2.45 μg TPF g⁻¹ soil h⁻¹). The monsoon season exhibited significantly (P < 0.05) higher soil microflora abundance, followed by winter, whereas glomalin content and dehydrogenase activity showed an inverse trend, being higher in winter. In conclusion, agroforestry systems broadly supported specific soil fauna and microflora, enhancing soil enzyme activity and SOC content compared to cropland. These findings highlight the potential of agroforestry in promoting soil health and biodiversity across seasons.