Millipede Species Enrich the Fertility of Soil in Alagar Hills Reserve Forest
Millipede Species Enrich the Fertility of Soil in Alagar Hills Reserve Forest
Ramanathan Baluchamy* and Gnanamani Radhakrishnan
ABSTRACT
Soil biota can interact with litter decomposition and significantly change nutrients of soil through egestion of faecal pellets. In the present study, examined the interactions between soil fertility and millipedes occurrence in Alagar hills Reserve forest. Millipedes as detritivores significantly affect nutrient cycling through the redistribution of organic material and consequently, the release of biochemical elements such as N, P, K and calcium and reduce the level of carbon content and C/N ratio of the soil. Our field microcosm study included population density and estimation biochemical compounds. Considering the data on the occurrence of millipedes, two sites were identified at study area as Site I (with millipede occurrence) and Site II (without millipedes). The soil samples from both sites were subjected for the analysis of biochemical compounds such as organic carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and calcium. The site which is occupied by millipede (site I) showed remarkably high quantity of nitrogen (2.14%), phosphorus (23.10%), potassium (0.24%) and calcium (0.83%) than the site without millipedes (site II) during the month of November 2016. Similarly, an ideal C/N ratio (20.05) was observed in site I which favours the plant growth, in turn increases the quantity of leaf litter which supports the life of millipedes. Millipedes play an essential role in enhancing the fertility of soil and ecosystem functioning in this tropical dry deciduous forest of Alagar hill (Eastern Ghats), South India. In forest ecosystem, conservation of millipede is an essential step to improve the fertility of soil and maintaining the forest ecosystem.
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