Soil enzymes in the mangroves: Activities and their relation to relevant soil properties

Abstract

We report here some basic but significant observations on enzyme activities in soils of a few prominent mangroves in South Andamans. In the present study, soil enzymes important in nutrient cycling were Assayed in 5 major mangroves of South Andamans, and their activities related to relevant soil properties to derive relationships, if any. Overall, the mean enzyme activities varied among soils possibly due to variations in the levels of endoenzymes and accumulated enzymes in the soil matrix. Nonsignificant relationship existed between enzymes activities and soil Pᵸ. However , all the enzymes showed positive and significant relationship with organic nutrient forms like organic C, organic P and organic S, which indicated that soils with higher organic C stimulated microbial activity and, therefore, provided a more conducive environment for enzyme synthesis and accumulation in the soil matrix of the mangroves.