Characterization and estimated diversity of cyanobacteria in biological soil crust in sacred grove forest of Tamil Nadu, India

Abstract

Cyanobacteria constituted the main component of biological soil crusts (BSCs) that cover scare area of sacred groves forest in the Ariyalur and Pudukottai district of Tamil Nadu, India. Cyanobacterial population numbers were estimated in three types of biological soil crust of sacred groves forest. Each type of crust exhibited different composition of cyanobacteria. The cyanobacteria count (CFU), pigment absorption spectrum, species abundance, evenness, dominance, diversity index values and Bray cluster analysis result showed large variations of BSCs at each sacred groves forest. Cyanobacterial species diversity was high in the studied grove forest which implied on increased soil fertility, ends with afforestation in the Ariyalur and Pudukottai district sacred groves forest. These results proved that diverse of cyanobacterial species increased the organic content in the soil of sacred groves forest.