The effect of thermal power plant emitted fly ash on community structure of soil-inhabiting nematodes in Kasimpur, Aligarh, India

The simultaneous advancement of economic growth and ecological preservation continues to be a major worldwide problem, resulting in several environmental concerns such as pollution, deforestation, and climate change. Thermal power plants (TPPs) that burn coal release a lot of fly ash into the atmosphere, which travels great distances and contaminates the environment. Here in this study, we examined the effects of fly ash deposition from a TPP on the distribution of soil nematode communities at a distance gradient (500 m–4000 m) from the source in all directions (North, East, West, South). We aimed to investigate, at which distance and direction the fly ash constituent deposition had more corresponding effect on soil nematode community. Soil physiochemical properties, including organic carbon, phosphorus, potassium, and sulfate, exhibited significant increases with proximity to the TPP, while soil moisture decreased and heavy metals increased away from the source. Nematode composition and abundance displayed clear spatial patterns surrounding the thermal power plant (TPP). In particular, the abundance of predatory and omnivorous nematodes steadily declined with increasing distance from the TPP. As the distance from the TPP increased, so did the maturity indices and diversity of nematode community reflecting ecological stability of the nematode population. The results of the principal component analysis showed relationships between the composition of nematode genera and soil parameters. Phosphorus, sulfate, potassium, and electrical conductivity were all positively correlated with nematode abundance, whereas, negatively correlated with heavy metals. These results demonstrate the intricate relationships that exist between fly ash deposition, soil characteristics, and nematode communities, emphasizing the necessity of all-encompassing strategies to lessen the negative environmental effects of producing electricity from coal.