Catabolic profiles of cultivable microbial communities in forest soils of western Algeria along a latitudinal gradient

Abstract

In Algeria, the soil degradation, more particularly the one related to the biological properties in the surface layers, is a major problem to the ecological balance and the development of forest massive. This phenomenon is considered to be the most important factor limiting the growth and productivity of forest plants in arid and semi-arid zones that can go as far as to almost sterilization of these soils. In this research, it is proposed to undertake the study on catabolic profiles of cultivable microbial communities of forest soils in western Algeria along a latitudinal gradient in some sampled surface horizons of the three zones, namely Tlemcen, Saida and Naama. Like most of soils in semiarid and arid zones, they are soils with low content in organic matter and in clay, and most often the sandy to the sand-like texture. 158 Borsali Amine Habib et al. The analysis of the catabolic profiles was carried out in five study plots of about 400 m each selected in each study area, making a total of fifteen plots for the three zones (Tlemcen, Saida and Naama). On each plot, five samples of soil were taken randomly between 0 and 15 cm of depth. Catabolic profiles were determined following the modified protocol of Garland and Mills (1991). The present research study show that it is in the Tlemcen zone, considered as subhumid, that a greater diversity and catabolic wealth were found; and more down towards the arid zone, more that wealth and diversity decrease to a critical level for the Naama zone. The results showed that there is a significant effect of the bioclimatic stage on the soil biological wealth and diversity.