BHU researchers part of international study on soil biodiversity, green areas to maintain ecosystem

NEW DELHI: The researchers at Banaras Hindu University (BHU) were a part of an international team to conduct a research on city parks and gardens and the importance of soil biodiversity for maintaining the ecosystem.

Researchers from BHU, Institute of Environment and sustainable development, Jay Prakash Verma and PhD scholar, Arpan Mukherjee took part in the international study that suggests that maintaining the soil biodiversity of city parks and gardens or green areas is important to maintain the ecosystem of urban areas.

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In the study, researchers collected soil samples from city parks and gardens from across 56 municipalities in 16 countries including India, China, Australia, Argentina, US, Chile, Spain, Nigeria, Switzerland, Slovenia, Portugal, South Africa, Brazil, Mexico, Israel and Estonia. The researchers identified 537 different microbial phylotypes which define the properties and health of the soil.

The findings of the study have been published in an international scientific journal Nature Ecology and Evolution. BHU's contribution to the study was funded by science and engineering research board (SERB), department of science and technology (DST) and BHU, Institution of eminence initiative.

Speaking about the study, Verma said: "This study provides novel evidence that soil taxonomic and genetic diversity are positively correlated with multiple dimensions of ecosystem functions e.g., carbon sequestration and water regulation to plant pathogen control, and antibiotic resistance regulation in urban parks and gardens."