Dynamics of microbial biomass and nitrogen supply during primary succession on blastfurnace slag dumps in dry tropics

This paper reports the role of microbial biomass in the establishment of N pools in the substratum during primary succession (till 40-year age) in Blastfurnace Slag Dumps, an anthropogenically created land form in the tropics. Initially in the depressions in the slag dumps fine soil particles (silt+clay) accumulate, retaining moisture therein, and providing microsites for the accumulation of microbial biomass. In all sites microbial biomass showed distinct seasonality, with summer-peak and rainy season-low standing crops. During the summer season microbial biomass C ranged from 18.6 μg g−1 in the 1-year old site to ca. 235 μg g−1 in the 40-year old site; correspondingly, microbial biomass N ranged from 1.22 to 40 μg g−1. On sites 2.5-years of age and younger, the microbial biomass N content accounted for more than 50% of the organic N in the soil, whereas the proportion of microbial biomass N was ca. 7% of organic N in 40-year old site. The strong correlation between microbial biomass and total N in soil indicated a significant role of microbes in the build-up of nitrogen during the initial stages of succession in the slag dumps. Though the organic N pool in the soil was low (594 mg kg−1) even after 40 years of succession, the available N (NH4-N and NO3-N) contents in the soil were generally high through the entire age series (ca. 16–32 μg g−1) during the rainy season (which supports active growth of the herbaceous community). The high mineral-N status on the slag dump was related with high N-mineralization rates, particularly in the young sites (20.6 and 13.9 μg g−1 month−1 at 1 and 2.5-year age). We suggest that along with the abiotic factors having strong effect on ecosystem functioning, the microbial biomass, an important biotic factor, shows considerable influence on soil nutrient build-up during early stages of primary succession on the slag dumps. The microbial biomass dynamics initiates biotic control in developing slag dumps ecosystem through its effect on nitrogen pools and availability.