An investigation was conducted in oil palm sole crop and oil palm + cocoa cropping systems to study microbial diversity along with enzyme activities and understand soil carbon dynamics in oil palm based cropping system. Ten mature oil palm plantations (five each in oil palm sole crop and oil palm + cocoa) planted with Tenera hybrids with a spacing of 9 X 9 X 9 m in a triangular system were selected for the study. Cocoa var. Forastero is cultivated as an intercrop in oil palm plantations at X m spacing. Recommended package of practices for oil palm and cocoa cultivation were followed. Soil samples were collected in the two cropping systems (oil palm sole crop and oil palm + cocoa) at three consecutive depths from surface (0-15, 15-30 & 30-60 cm) and five distances from palm base (1, 2, 3, 4 & 5 meters) during the three seasons (summer, winter & rainy). | Soil carbon dynamics in oil palm - Cocoa cropping system in comparison to that of oil palm sole crop
