Soil microbial community response to different farm managements in Santa Clara, Cuba

Abstract

Seven farms (two state, two cooperatives, and three private farms) were selected for assessing effects of farm management on the microbial biomass and the structure of the microbial community, as well as, the responses to seasonality on these two bio-indicators in these three representative farming systems. All farms are located on brown calcareous soil. Soil samples from the 0-20 cm depth were collected from two fields of each farm. Soil microbial community was assessed through two analyses: microbial biomass carbon and phospholipid fatty acid. The technological differences in soil management, among the three farming systems, affected both microbial biomass carbon and the microbial community composition. The differences were most pronounced between the private and the state farms. The statistical analyses demonstrated that the total of phospholipid fatty-acid were significantly higher in cooperative farms. The use of fallow in these farms seems to have positive effects on soil microbial communities. Seasonality has a clear effect on both indicators. Summarizing, both indicators demonstrated sensible responses to disturbances caused by farm management and seasonality in the conditions of Cuban agriculture. Keywords: farming systems, microbial biomass carbon, phospholipid fatty-acid analysis (PLFA), soil quality