SOIL MICROBIAL BIOMASS AND ITS RELATION WITH ENVIRONMENTAL VARIABLES IN GUVVALACHERUVU DRY DECIDUOUS FOREST OF PALAKONDALU HILLS, SOUTHERN EASTERN GHATS, ANDHRA PRADESH, INDIAP. Sreedhar Rao and M. Sridhar ReddyAbstract Soil Microbial Biomass represents the active fraction of the Soil Organic Carbon. The turn over rate of SMB is rapid, hence it plays a key role in the cycling of essential nutrients in the forest ecosystem. SMB was found to be influenced by environmental factors like soil moisture, soil temperature and forest features like soil organic carbon, litter quality. SMB was measured in each of the month by Chloroform fumigation method along with SOC, SM and ST variables by standard methods. Multiple regression models was used to know the relation between SMB and independent factors like SOC, SM and ST. Soil Moisture was found to be the key variable that influence the SMB content and a non significant positive was observed between SMB and SOC. |