Relationship between Soil Bacterial Population and Various Physico- Chemical Properties at Two Broadleaved Forest Stands of Meghalaya Differing in Altitudes

Although soil bacterial communities are one of the important biotic components that influence decomposition and nutrient mineralization in the terrestrial ecosystems, factors driving this biotic community in the broadleaved forest stands of Meghalaya are not well studied. The present study examined the importance of physico-chemical properties in driving soil bacterial communities in the broadleaved forest stands of Meghalaya differing in altitudes. Soils were collected at two different (0-10 cm and 10-20 cm) depths monthly for a period of two years. Results showed that bacterial CFU was higher in the high altitude forest stand at 0-10 cm depth as compared to the low altitude forest stand at 10-20 cm depth. It also showed significant positive correlation with organic carbon and total nitrogen in both the two forest stands indicating that these two constitute the major driving factors of bacterial communities in the broad leaved forest stand of Meghalaya.