Comparative Study of Algal Growth on Dry land, Wasteland and Agricultural
Areas in SouthEastern Iran
*Mansour Jahantigha, Muhammad Armanb
a) Department of soil conservation and water management, Research center for
Agriculture and Natural Resources Province of (Sistan) Zabol-Iran
Mjahantigh2000@yahoo.com
b) PCSIR Laboratories Complex, Karachi
Sharah-e-Dr Salimuzzaman Siddiqui, Karachi -75280, Pakistan
Abstract
Soil samples were collected in September 2004 from Sistan located in South eastern Iran.
Eighteen sites were selected for the collection from three areas i.e drylands, waste water
irrigated and agricultural areas (total about 1000-2000 m2 area). The samples were taken
from distances of 0.3, 3.0 and 6.0 m and from various depths of 0-0.25, 0.25-0.5, 0.500.75 and 75-100 cm. Physicochemical study of these soil samples showed the pH range
of 8.5-8.8. Carbon, nitrogen and organic matter contents were very low in dry land areas,
increased in waste water irrigated area and significantly high in agricultural area.
Culturing of these soil samples for algal growth showed only one algae in dryland areas
oscillatoria, nine algae in waste water irrigated areas Oscillatoria, Phormidium, Nostoc,
Anabaena, Coccoid green algae, Fragilaria, Naricula, Dichothrif, Tetrahedron and six
algae in agricultural area Oscillatoria, Phormidium, Nostoc, Anabaena, Calcicola and
Tetrahedron. Due to the small growth and low yields of these algae, soil of these study
areas found not suitable for good and healthy microbial growth.
Key Words: Soil algae, green algae, Nitrogen fixation process.
Introduction
The soil microflora (microorganisms) such as algae and bacteria generally help in
improving soil fertility and growth of plants (Bhoopander et al 2005., Shields and Durell
1964). These microorganisms are very important because they are active converters of
solar energy, carbon dioxide and other nutrients into sugar, proteins and other complex
organic compounds beneficial to the nutrient cycling and soil structure of croplands
(Bischoff and Bold 1963., Fumanti et al 1997). Desert soil algae have good ability to
reduce the wind erosion in sands (Hu et al 2002).
Soil algae are found in nearly all environments and they can be divided into four groups
including green, blue-green, yellow-green algae and diatoms. Some blue green algae
along with few other species such as genus Azotobacter are unique in their ability to
perform the nitrogen-fixing function in the presence of oxygen at the soil/air interface
and excrete substances that further serve to glue soil particles into aggregates and thus
provide more aerated soil area for further growth of these algae and associated beneficial
microorganisms (Maki 1982). In this contest, propagation of blue green algae not only
enrich the nitrogen status of the soils by the nitrogen fixation process but also provide the
organic matter and other biologically potent substances required for the plant growth
(Hidehisa et al 2006., Gupta et al 2006). Recently Belnap et al 2008 reported a visual
technique to assess cyanobacterial level of development and soil surface stability of
various dryland regions.
Subhashini and Kaushik 1981 reported that algal growth results in significant reduction in
pH, electrical conductivity, exchangeable sodium, hydraulic conductivity and aggregation
status of the soil. The growth of algae on the soil surface provides continuous supply of
nitrogen and moisture to the soil, these soil algae have been considered to be very
important not only from the agricultural point of view but also as one of the important
parameter for maintaining good quality of soils in the given areas (Mandal et al 1999). As
the presence of healthy soil algae can lifts the growth of plants, the present study is
undertaken to observe the growth of different types of algae in certain areas of
Southeastern Iran.
Materials and Methods
Soil collections were made from selected locations of Sistan where the soil apparently
had been undisturbed for many years. Sistan is located at 15197 Km in province Sistan
and Balochistan in north and southeastern Iran, fig.1. It is at the same border side from
north and west to Afghanistan and Pakistan, on the other side south and east to Zahedan
and Korasan province.
This area is situated between latitude 30o 06` N - 31o 28` N and longitude 60o 15`E –
61o 50`E and occupied by west elevation and lake and low elevation imminent to them,
about 2557 km is occupied by agricultural area surroundings. Average elevation area is
480 m above the mean sea level.
Soil samples were collected in September 2004 from Sistan. 18 different sites were
selected for this collection from three areas i.e dry lands, waste water irrigated and
agricultural areas (total about 1000-2000 m2 area was covered in this study). The samples
were taken from distances of 0.3, 3.0 and 6.0 m and from various depths of 0-0.25, 0.250.5, 0.50-0.75 and 75-100 cm and then the samples were sealed in the plastic bags.These
samples were analyzed in the laboratory by using standard test methods described by
Smith and Atkinson 1975., Trivedy et al 1987.
To understand the assemblage of soil algae found in each area, the representative soil
samples were cultured for algae by using Bold Basal medium, BBM (Bischoff and Bold
1963). Following stock solutions were used in the preparation of BBM.
Components
quantity in
gm/200 ml
distil water
1.
Na No3
5.0
2.
CaCl2 2H2O
0.5
3.
MgSO47H2O 1.0
4.
K2HPO4
5.0
5.
KH2 PO4
3.5
6.
NaCl
0.5
S.No.
5 ml of each stock solution was taken in 500 ml volumetric flask and diluted upto the
mark with distil water. One gm soil sample and 50 ml culture solution was taken in
culture flasks and kept under diffuse light at room temperature. Algal growth was
recorded after one week. These algae were then identified by using standard monographs
and reference books.
Results and Discussion
Physicochemical characteristics of the soil samples are presented in table-1, it helps in
examining the fertility of these samples. PH of all the samples was nearly in same range
8.5 – 8.8, showing basic nature of the samples. Carbon, nitrogen and organic matter
contents were found very low in dry land areas. These contents were increased in waste
water irrigated areas and found significantly high in agricultural areas, organic matter in
agricultural area were in the same range as found in some of the soil samples of
Minnesota (Fang et al 2005). High organic matter of the soil generally helps in improving
growth and quality of the crops.
The details of different species of algae grown in various soil samples is presented in
table-2. Data shows that 9 types were grown in waste water treated soil samples
Oscillatoria, Phormidium, Nostoc, Anabaena, Coccoid green algae, Fragilaria,
Naricula, Dichothrif and Tetrahedron, 6 types were found in the samples of agricultural
area Oscillatoria, Phormidium, Nostoc, Anabaena, Calcicola and Tetrahedron and only
one type, Oscillatoria in the dry land area. Oscillatoria was the common algae found in
all the soil samples and this was the only single type found in dry land area samples.
Oscillatoria also showed higher algal content than other algae, calculated on the basis of
cell numbers obtained during the whole investigation period. It was also observed that
algae belonging to cyanophyceae family were dominant in the samples of agricultural
area. In waste water irrigated soil samples algae of cyanophycea along with the blue
green algae and diatoms were present. Most of the soil samples of these areas showed
very little growth of algae, the reason could be the temperature stress and the low
moisture available from the soils. Oscillatoria, Phormidium and Nostoc are the common
algae that grow easily because these algae are known to tolerate temperature stress and
grow anywhere easily where moisture is available. One of the reason for the large
number of algae grown in waste water irrigated areas is the presence of large number of
nutrients contributed by the sewage, it is documented that growth of algae is useful in
waste water treatment areas because they take up various nutrients and some heavy
metals from wastewater, the removal of these constituents is important in protecting
water quality in receiving streams, lakes and rivers (Akbar et al 2006). On the basis of
small growth and low yields of these algae it is concluded that soils collected from these
study areas are not suitable for good and healthy microbial growth.
References
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Table1. Physicochemical characteristics of representative soil samples collected from 18
locations
S.No. Study Area
PH
*C org
*OM
*N
(%)
(%)
(%)
1
Dry land
8.8
0.5
1.1
0.01
2
Dry land
8.5
0.6
1.2
0.02
3
Dry land
8.5
0.5
1.1
0.01
4
Dry land
8.6
0.5
1.1
0.01
5
Dry land
8.6
0.6
1.2
0.02
6
Dry land
8.5
0.5
1.1
0.01
7
Wastewater irrigation
8.5
0.8
1.7
0.03
8
Wastewater irrigation
8.5
0.8
1.6
0.03
9
Wastewater irrigation
8.6
0.6
1.3
0.02
10
Wastewater irrigation
8.5
0.7
1.5
0.03
11
Wastewater irrigation
8.5
0.7
1.6
0.03
12
Wastewater irrigation
8.6
0.8
1.7
0.04
13
Agricultural
8.5
1.3
2.5
0.07
14
Agricultural
8.5
1.2
2.3
0.06
15
Agricultural
8.6
1.4
2.4
0.07
16
Agricultural
8.5
1.4
2.5
0.08
17
Agricultural
8.6
1.3
2.3
0.06
18
Agricultural
8.5
1.5
2.6
0.08
*C = Carbon
*OM = Organic matter
*N = Nitrogen
Table 2. Algal growth in soil of the study areas
S.No. Study Area
Types of Algae
1
Dry land
Oscillatoria
2
Wastewater irrigation
3
Agricultural
Oscillatoria, Phormidium, Nostoc, Anabaena,
Coccoid green algae, Fragilaria, Naricula,
Dichothrif, Tetrahedron
Oscillatoria, Phormidium, Nostoc, Anabaena,
Calcicola, Tetrahedron