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Language: English
Several authors have studied the impact of heavy metals on microfauna and microflora. From this literature it was assumed that the research soil biology has tried to assess the impact of different biotic and abiotic factors on the distribution and diversity of soil mesofauna with special reference to Collembola. In addition, impact of polluting agents like heavy metals as well as soil microbes on Collembola has also been analyzed. The review of literature further revealed that in the Indian subcontinent, the published research in this field is either lacking or fragmentary. The present investigation was undertaken in order to have a clearer and more comprehensive picture of soil bacteria, actinomycetes, fungi and Collembola in relation to heavy metals in reclaimed wetland embankment sites in Kolkata, India. It is in this context the present investigation was undertaken with the following objectives: to estimate the quantitative and qualitative composition of Collembola, fungi-bacteria-actinomycete communities in the studied sites; to study the seasonal abundance and population fluctuations of soil fauna with special reference to Collembola and soil microflora; to compare the species composition of Collembola community with that or fungi and bacteria-actinomycete genera; to evaluate the edaphic/abiotic factor like temperature, moisture, pH, organic carbon, nitrate and phosphate, and heavy metals like mercury, copper and zinc and their level of concentration at the study site; to assess the significance of soil microbial flora as well as the impact of edaphic factors and heavy metals on the population structure of Collembola.
