Soil Environment Modulation by Varying
Physicochemical Attributes Change the Population
Dynamics of Fecal Escherichia coli

Present research reveals the effect of different soil environment modifications on population dynamic tendency of fecal Escherichia coli ( E. coli ). Various soil environments were created by varying the temperature regimes, relative water content, pH, C/N ratio and ammonium content. The result showed that population dynamics of E. coli with all treatments increased initially and then decreased with the passage of time. Maximum population of E. coli at higher temperature regime (37ºC and 45ºC) was observed on 8 th day of incubation, whereas, at low temperature regime (0.6ºC and 25ºC), it reached the peak after 15 days of incubation, other treatments (soil relative water content, pH, C/N, ammonium content) reached the peak all after 8 days of incubation. At the end of the incubation period (60 days), maximum population of E. coli was observed in the soil treated with 0.6ºC, 80% of relative soil water content, pH 7.0, 135 mg-ammonium/kg and C/N of 25:1. The results indicated that 45ºC, 90% of relative water content, pH 9.0, 125 mg-ammonium/kg, C/N of 10:1 inhibited E. coli growth, whereas, 37ºC, 80% of relative soil water content, pH 7.0, 135 mg-ammonium/kg and C/N of 25:1 stimulated E. coli growth.