Cuantificación de la respiración edáfica como medida de la actividad microbiana en suelos de la microcuenca del rio Chimborazo.

Abstract

The objective of this study was to quantify edaphic respiration (Rs) as a measure of microbial activity in soils of the Chimborazo River Micro-Basin (CHRM). To do this, the four land study uses (paramo, pastures, forest plantations, and cultivation) were first identified in the CHRM. These were estimated using a "LANDSAT 8" satellite image of 2017 and mapping tools such as Earth Explorer (USGS 2017) and ArcGIS for image processing. The Rs were evaluated for each use by means of the Anderson method (1982) and each test was carried out in triplicate, as well as pH, conductivity, percentage of humidity, organic matter and nitrogen of each sample were analyzed. As a result, study uses were identified in the CHRM, with 4309.9 ha; 167.6 ha of forest plantations; 2158 ha of pastures and crops with 2384.5 ha. Paramo soil showed maximum values of edaphic respiration as an indirect measure of the microbial activity of (1.0193 C-CO2 mg / g soil) followed by grassland soil (0.5925 C-CO2 mg / g), culture (26, 54 C-CO2 mg / g soil) and plantations (0,1142 C-CO2 mg / g soil). It is concluded that there is no significant difference of the Rs with respect to land uses, however, it could be determined that in land uses as páramo there is a significant difference of the Rs at 3600 m above sea level where the maximum value of Rs was obtained. It was determined that of the abiotic factors studied the organic matter presented significant correlation with the Rs in cultivation soils (sig 0.03), this being the factor of greatest influence in the Rs since the other abiotic factors have moderate correlations with the breathing.