#protected forest

Abstract

Soil fungal microorganisms are vital for soil health and ecosystem balance, are highly threatened by human. Unsustainable land use practices such as improper land tillage and crop residue management, excessive use of industrial inorganic fertilizer and pesticide, overgrazing and deforestation lead soil degradation and disruption of fungal microbial activities. This study explores a case of Itigi District in Tanzania to determine the relationship between community knowledge, land use practices, and fungal microbial volume in soils from farmland and protected areas. Soil fungal isolation were done using Potato Dextrose Agar with streptomycin sulfate. A structured questionnaire collected information from 150 participants to assess knowledge. Data analysis was performed using SPSS. Results show that gender (female), higher education level, increase in income level and practical knowledge positively influences the adoption of practices that enhance soil fungal microbial activities. It also shows that protected forest soils have higher fungal volume compared to farmlands. This study underscores the need for awareness campaigns on sustainable soil management practices and the promotion of the use of organic manure to maintain soil fertility and ecosystem balance. Females showed a statistically significant difference in the use of organic manure (P=0.0364).Moreover, comparison of CFU/mL mean 4.175×10⁶ and 1.308×10⁷ from non-protected and protected areas respectively revealed that protected areas consistently exhibited higher fungal microbial growth, probably attributed by minimal human disturbance and richer organic matter. The study concludes that sustainable soil fungal management is essential for soil health and ecosystem services, with protected areas demonstrating superior fungal volume. Raising awareness about responsible land use practices is crucial for maintaining these vital microbial communities.

Introduction

Soil fungal represent a diverse array of microscopic fungi that inhabit the earth's soil, playing crucial role in maintaining soil health and ecosystem balance (Srivastava et al., 2023; Chen etal., 2022). Approximately 144,000 fungal species have been identified globally (Satyanarayana et al., 2019; Wijavawardene et al., 2020),where about 4843 fungal species are found in African countries specifically in the Western Africa(Piepenbring et al., 2020).Soil fungal communities play a crucial roles in land management, significantly influencing soil hearth, fertility, and ecosystem stability (Frąc et al., 2018; Zhang et al., 2022). Soil fungi are involved in the decomposition of organic materials and transform compounds, as a such playing a key role in soil formation (Chen et al., 2022; Dhiman et al., 2022). Higher soil fungal microbes are linked to increased soil fertility, reduced erosion, and enhanced soil aggregation dynamics(Ren et al., 2022). The fungi interact directly with plants but also play a crucial role in improving soil structure(Khaliq et al., 2023),therefore, facilitate a variety of sustainability programs in agriculture, ecosystem conservation, and restoration particularly relevant in the context of soil rehabilitation and restoration of depleted natural resources (Kuyper & Suz, 2023; Chabay, 2018).

Fungi, as key players in soil ecosystems, provide multiple benefits that support both environmental sustainability and agricultural productivity. Saprotrophic fungi, for example, are responsible for the decomposition of organic matter, releasing essential nutrients back into the soil and contributing to nutrient cycling (Sterkenburg et al., 2018). This process not only maintains soil fertility but also improves plant health by enriching the soil with nutrients. In parallel, biocontrol fungi suppress soilborne plant pathogens, thereby reducing the incidence of plant diseases and enhancing agricultural productivity (Sharma et al., 2014). By reducing the reliance on chemical pesticides, biocontrol fungi promote more sustainable farming practices, ensuring long-term crop resilience (Mehla, 2023). Despite the essential roles of soil fungi, their populations and volume are increasingly at risk due to human activities such as unsustainable farming practices, inappropriate use of agricultural inputs, excessive tillage, overgrazing and deforestation(Zelleke et al., 2019;Jinger et al., 2023). These activities disrupt the fragile balance of soil ecosystems, leading to a decline in fungal microbial populations and volume, and the overall soil health(Daunoras et al., 2024). This study explored Itigi district in the Singida region, Tanzania to; 1) investigate the impact of land use practices on soil fungal, microbial population and volume, 2)assess the population by counting Fungal Colony Forming Units (CFU) from soil samples collected in farmlands and protected forest areas to unveil the impact of human activityon soil fungal communities.