LAUSR

Sustainable sources of energy are sought because of the finite nature of nonrenewable resources. Renewable energy from the lignocellulosic biomass of the forest ecosystem reduces dependency on nonrenewable resources to overcome the global energy crisis. In this study, we evaluated the physicochemical parameters of, and enzymatic activity in, 25 forest soil samples collected from Thandikudi (Western Ghats) and the Sirumalai Hills (Eastern Ghats) in Tamil Nadu, India. Soil‐sample analysis revealed that two samples obtained from the Western Ghats exhibited low and high lignocellulolytic enzyme activity, respectively, and they were considered for further study. Sample A showed low lignocellulolytic enzyme activity, whereas sample B showed high lignocellulolytic enzyme activity. The variation in the soil enzymes led us to determine the microbial communities in these two soil samples using nanopore sequencing, which targeted the V1–V9 regions of 16S rDNA. The results highlighted the positive correlation between physicochemical properties and soil enzymes. Principal component analysis revealed that, among the soil enzymes, saccharase and β‐glucosidase predominantly influenced lignocellulosic biomass degradation. The nanopore sequencing results showed that, among the microbes present, the percentage of Firmicutes was higher in soil sample B (23.03%) compared with soil sample A (14.90%). Among the bacterial genera, Bacillus was abundant in these two soil samples followed by Pseudomonas, Escherichia, and Klebsiella. The variation in the occurrence of enzymes and the availability of nutrients in the two soil samples had a positive effect on the abundance of these microbial genera. Moreover, the plentiful presence of Bacillus in soil sample B indicates the richness of lignocellulose. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd