Journal of Environmental Science and Technology1994-78872077-2181Asian Network for Scientific Information10.3923/jest.2012.184.191Azotobacter spp.]]>PrasadDurga SubrahmanyamGangavarapu BollaKrishna 3201253Soil pollution by elevated heavy metals are known to adversely effect microbial activities and their functional diversity. However, response of certain beneficial native soil bacterial population to heavy metals is poorly understood. In the present study, effect of cadmium (Cd2+) on abundance and diversity of free living nitrogen fixing Azotobacter spp. has been investigated by short term microcosm experiment. After 45 days, total viable counts of both heterotrophic and Azotobacter spp. have been decreased with increased Cd2+ concentrations. Significant negative correlation (R = -0.99, p = 0.006) was observed between abundance of Azotobacter spp. and Cd2+ concentration. Similar kind of result has been noticed with total viable heterotrophic bacteria. Amplified ribosomal DNA restriction analysis (ARDRA) based dendrogram revealed the Cd2+ induced diversity shift of Azotobacter population. Relatively decreased diversity of Azotobacter spp. was noticed at elevated concentration of Cd2+ (5 mg kg-1 soil). Reduction of both abundance and diversity of Azotobacter spp. pointed apparent deleterious effect of Cd2+ on free living nitrogen fixation and concurrent soil health.]]>Afef, N.H., S. Leila, B. Donia, G. Houda and C.H. Chiraz,2011Nicotiana rustica.]]>6294303Arabani, T.B., S. Jamili and F. Abbassi,20102+ concentration in muscle tissue of grass carp and silver carp.]]>4473477Azmat, R., Y. Akhtar, R. Talat and F. Uddin,20054238242Ahmad, I., S. Hyat, A. Ahmad, A. Inam and Samiullah,20059115121Aquilantia, L., F. Favillib and F. Clementi,2004Azotobacter from soil samples.]]>3614751483Aticho, A., E. Elias and J. Diels,20116259266Becking, J.H.,19911991pp: 795-817pp: 795-817Benavides, M.P., S.M. Gallego and M.L. Tomaro,2005172134Benson, N.U.,20061140145Bhattacharyya, P., S. Tripathy, K. Chakrabarti, A. Chakraborty and P. Banik,200872543550Bruins, M.R., S. Kapil and F.W. Oehme,200045198207Brown, M.E., S.K. Burlingham and R.M. Jackson,1962Azotobacter species in soil. I. Comparison of media and techniques for counting Azotobacter in soil.]]>17309319Dobereiner, J. and F.O. Pedrosa,1987Fuhrer, J.,1982Phaseolus vulgaris L.).]]>70162167He, J.Z., Z. Xu and J. Hughes,200524791100Kamala-Kannan, S. and K.J. Lee,20087149152Khan, S., Q. Cao, A.E.L. Hesham, Y. Xia and J.Z. He,200719834840Khan, S., A.E. Hesham, M. Qiao, S. Rehman and J.Z. He,201017288296Knowles, R.,19821982pp: 10071-11077pp: 10071-11077Lasat, M.M.,200231109120Liao, M., C.L. Chen and C.Y. Huang,200517832837Ling, T., Y. Fangke and R. Jun,20104225233Martensson, A.M.,199350466473Martensson, A.M. and L. Torstensson,19962816211630Massa, S., M. Caruso, F. Trovatelli and M. Tosques,199814727730McGrath, S.P., F.J. Zhao and E. Lombi,2001232207214Moreira, F.M.S., A. Lange, O. Klauberg-Filho, J.O. SiqueiraI, R.S.A. Nobrega and A.S. Lima,200880749761Moreno, J.L., T. Hernandez, A. Perez and C. Garcia,200221149158Oliveira, A., M.E. Pampulha, M.M. Neto and A.C. Almeida,2009200237243Paudyal, S.P., R.R. Aryal, S.V.S. Chauhan and D.K. Maheshwari,200752732Perez-de-Mora, A., P. Burgos, E. Madejón, F. Cabrera, P. Jaeckel and M. Schloter,200638327341Pramanik, A., R. Gaur, M. Sehgal and B.N. Johri,20038415501555Sengar, R.S., M. Gautam, S.K. Garg, R. Chaudhary and K. Sengar,2008Vigna radiata).]]>26168Siham, A.K.A.,2007710191024Stan, V., E. Gament, C.P. Cornea, C. Voaides, M. Dusa and G. Plopeanu,2011Rhizobium diversity.]]>398895Sambrook, J. and D.W. Russell,20013rd Edn.,Pages: 2344Pages: 2344Sandalio, L.M., H.C. Dalurzo, M. Gomez, M.C. Romero-Puertas and L.A. del Rio,20015221152126Shaukat, S.S., M. Mushtaq and Z.S. Siddiqui,1999Parkinsonia aculeata L. and Pennisetum americanum (L.) Schumann.]]>213071313Subrahmanyam, G., G. Archana and L.S. Chamyal,20116224237Subrahmanyam, G., G. Archana and L.S. Chamyal, 2011101202209Tejera, N., C. Lluch, M.V. Martınez-Toledo and J. Gonzalez-Lopez,2005Azotobacter and Azospirillum strains from the sugarcane rhizosphere.]]>270223232Udosen, E.D., N.U. Benson, J.P. Essien and G.A. Ebong,2006Manihot utilissima within a municipal dumpsite.]]>12732Wang, Y.P., J.Y. Shi, H.W. Qi-Lin, X.C. Chen and Y.X. Chen,2007677581Weisburg, W.G., S.M. Barns, D.A. Pelletier and D.J. Lane,1991173697703