TITLE:
Arid Agroecosystem Shrubs Enhance Enzyme Activities during the Dry Season
AUTHORS:
Sire Diedhiou, Komi B. Assigbetsee, Arfang O. K. Goudiaby, Ibrahima Diedhiou, Aminata N. Badiane, Modou Sène, Mamadou Khouma, Arona N. S. Samba, Richard P. Dick
KEYWORDS:
Shrubs, Sahel, Hydraulic Lift, Enzyme Activities, Rhizosphere
JOURNAL NAME:
American Journal of Plant Sciences,
Vol.11 No.2,
February
20,
2020
ABSTRACT: In Senegal, in the Sahel region, the agroecosystem
is dominated by two Sahelian shrubs able to redistribute water from deep soil
to the surface. This study was carried out to determine the impact of these
shrubs on soil microbial activity. A 2 × 3 factorial design was set up during the dry and wet season with three
soil treatments: rhizospheric, bulk and non-rhizospheric soil. During the dry
season, the presence of shrubs resulted in significantly higher phosphatase
acid activity for Guiera senegalensis (p β-glucosidase and phosphatase
acid had the highest correlation with the rhizospheric soil during the dry
season respectively 98% and 97%. Soil moisture content was highly correlated
with the rhizospheric soil (85%), chitinase activity (99%) and β-glucosidase (97%). Shrubs maintained a
moister environment during the dry season which was critical in stimulating
microbial activities; this has significant implications for agroecosystem
management in the Sahel.