Microbiological indication of reclaimed peat soils

Abstract

In the North of the Ryazan region peat, boggy soils are common, forming part of the Ryazan Meschera. Since the late 1950-s, reclamation structures were built and drainage was carried out, after which the land was used for the cultivation of crops (mainly fodder crops). In former times, the drainage systems were supervised by economic managers, but after the economic transition in the country, control and maintenance ceased due to a lack of funding. Nowadays, soil-reclamation monitoring is carried out only at the Tinki-II site, which is located near the regional centre and is part of the ecological polygon system. The authors in the article showed the quantitative change of microorganisms of different groups in the peat soils of four reclamation sites in the Ryazan Meschera. Recently, on the region’s territory, climate change (dryness and warmth) has been established. A fundamental difference between the drainage systems was the presence of bilateral regulation of the soil water regime at the first site Tinki-II: sprinkler irrigation was in operation since the middle 1980-s, and by sluicing since the 1990-s. The authors carried out the microbiological indication of peat soils according to generally accepted methods. An indication was carried out in peat soils that had acquired signs of degradation (digestion of peat, reduction of the peat soil layer, etc.). The results indicated high microbiological activity in the soil at the Tinki-II site. Thus, there were more bacteria grown on MPA (meat-peptone agar) and SAA (starch-and-ammonia agar) than other groups, hence intensive mineralization of organic nitrogen compounds takes place. The presence of fungi of the genus Penicillium in soils indicates acidification. Azotobacter was detected in the soils, indicating an intensive nitrogen fixation process. The representatives of the Polyangium genus are dominated by cellulose-destroying bacteria, which feed on dead organic matter, cellulose. The presence of the above microorganisms groups indicated favourable development of microbiocenosis in the reclaimed peat soils.