Microbial Biomass And Microcalorimetric Methods In Tropical Soils

The type of organic matter (OM) plays an essential role in nutrient cycling in agricultural soil systems. Microbial activity in tropical soils was calorimetrically followed as a useful tool in this investigation. Tropical soil samples with different textures: Rhodic eutrudox (R), Typic eutrudox (V) and a Quartzipsamment (Q) from Brazil were amended with 25% cattle manure (E), municipal refuse compost (L), earthworm casts (H), the agrochemical trifluralin (T); (23 μg, equivalent dose of 1.25 kg ha-11) were explored. The microbial activity was determined by calorimetry and simultaneously by fumigation-extraction (microbial biomass carbon, C) to compare both methods. The results for R, Q, and V soils were: (212.04A, 195.99B, 204.47A) for microbial biomass C and (0.692B, 0.714B, 0.784A) for thermal effect with P < 0.05, respectively, over a period of incubation of 91 days. The microbial activity of the modified soils decreases in the order: E, H, L and T. Both methods showed a coefficient of correlation r = 0.7443 and the statistical probability of occurrence of the event, P < 0.0001. From this correlation the utility of both methods for measuring the microbial activity in soils could be deduced. © 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.3941-2145154Coleman, D.C., Oades, J.M., Uehara, G., (1989) Dynamics of Soil Organic Matter in Tropical Ecosystems, , NifTAL Project, HonoluluGrainger, J.M., Lynch, J.M., (1984) Microbiological Methods for Environment Biotechnology, , Academic Press, LondonWedberg, S.E., (1966) Introduction to Microbiology, , Reinhold Publishing Corporation, New YorkWardle, D.A., Yeates, G.W., Nicholson, K.S., Bonner, K.L., Watson, R.N., (1999) Soil Biol. Biochem., 31, p. 1707Parkinson, D., Paul, E.A., (1982) Methods of Soil Analyses, , American Society of Agronomy Inc., MadisonBandick, A.K., Dick, R.P., (1999) Soil Biol. Biochem., 31, p. 1471Anderson, J.P.E., Domsch, K.H., (1978) Soil Biol. Biochem., 10, p. 215Jenkinson, D.S., Powlson, D.S., (1976) Soil Biol. Biochem., 8, p. 209Sparling, G.P., (1981) Soil Biol. Biochem., 13, p. 93Sparling, G.P., (1983) J. Soil Sci., 34, p. 381Barja, M.I., Proupin, J., Núñez, L., (1997) Thermochim. Acta, 303, p. 155Beezer, A.E., (1980) Biological Microcalorimetry, , Academic Press, LondonBarros, N., Feijoó, S., Fernandez, S., Simoni, J.A., Airoldi, C., (2000) Thermochim. Acta, 7356, p. 1Wadso, I., (1997) Thermochim. Acta, 294, p. 1(1994) Keys to Soil Taxonomy, 6th EditionTriegel, E.K., (1988) Principles of Environmental Sampling, , American Chemical Society, WashingtonVance, E.D., Brookes, P.C., Jenkinson, D.S., (1987) Soil Biol. Biochem., 19, p. 697Bäckman, P., Bastos, M., Briggner, L.E., Hägg, S., Hallén, D., Lönnbro, P., Nilsson, S.O., Wadso, I., (1994) Appl. Chem., 66, p. 375Critter, S.A.M., Simoni, J.A., Airoldi, C., (1994) Thermochim. Acta, 232, p. 145Critter, S.A.M., Freitas, S.S., Airoldi, C., (2001) Appl. Soil Ecol., 18, p. 217Critter, S.A.M., Airoldi, C., (2001) J. Environ. Qual., 30, p. 954Hill, G.Y., Mitkowski, N.A., Aldrich-Wolfe, L., Emele, L.R., Jurkonie, D.D., Ficke, A., Maldonado-Ramirez, S., Nelson, E.B., (2000) Appl. Soil Ecol., 15, p. 25Xiaoju, W., Gong, Z., (1998) Geoderma, 81, p. 339S.A.M. Critter, S.S. Freitas, C. Airoldi, unpublished resultsJenkinson, D.S., Ladd, J.N., (1981) Soil Biochemistry, 5. , Dekker, New YorkAnderson, J.M., Ingram, J.S.I., (1993) Tropical Soil Biology and Fertility: A Handbook of Methods, , CAB International, Wallingfor

Enzymatic Activity Measured By Microcalorimetry In Soil Amended With Organic Residues [atividade Enzimática Avaliada Por Microcalorimetria Em Solo Tratado Com Diferentes Resíduos Orgânicos]

Enzymatic activity is an important property for soil quality evaluation. Two sequences of experiments were carried out in order to evaluate the enzymatic activity in a soil (Rhodic Eutrudox) amended with cattle manure, earthworm casts, or sewage sludges from the municipalities of Barueri and Franca. The activity of commercial enzymes was measured by microcalorimetry in the same soil samples after sterilization. In the first experiment, the enzyme activities of cellulase, protease, and urease were determined in the soil samples during a three month period. In the second sequence of experiments, the thermal effect of the commercial enzymes cellulase, protease, and urease on sterilized soil samples under the same tretaments was monitored for a period of 46 days. The experimental design was randomized and arranged as factorial scheme in five treatments x seven samplings with five replications. The treatment effects were statistically evaluated by one-way analysis of variance. Tukey ́s test was used to compare means at p ≤ 0.05. The presence of different sources of organic residues increased the enzymatic activity in the sampling period. Cattle manure induced the highest enzymatic activity, followed by municipal sewage sludge, whereas earthworm casts induced the lowest activity, but differed from control treatment. The thermal effect on the enzyme activity of commercial cellulase, protease, and urease showed a variety of time peaks. These values probably oscillated due to soil physical-chemical factors affecting the enzyme activity on the residues.35411671175Albiach, R., Canet, R., Pomares, F., Ingelmo, F., Microbial biomass content and enzymatic activities after the application of organic amendments to a horticultural soil (2000) Biores. Technol., 75, pp. 43-48Barros, N., Feijóo, S., A combined mass and energy balance to provide bioindicators of soil microbiological quality (2003) Biophys. Chem., 104, pp. 561-572Benitez, E., Sainz, H., Nogales, R., Hydrolytic enzyme activities of extracted humic substances during the vermicomposting of a lignocellulosic olive waste (2005) Biores. Technol., 96, pp. 785-790Caldwell, B.A., Enzyme activities as a component of soil biodiversity: A review (2005) Pedobiology, 49, pp. 637-644. , In: INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON IMPACTS OF SOIL BIODIVERSITY ON BIOGEOCHEMICAL PROCESSES IN ECOSYSTEMS, 2004, Taipei, TaiwanCarter, M.R., Organic matter and sustainability (2001) Sustainable management of soil organic matter, pp. 9-22. , In: REES, B.C.BALL, B.C.CAMPBELL, C.D. & WATSON, C.A., eds, Wallingford, CAB InternationalCenciani, K., Freitas, S.S., Critter, S.A.M., Airoldi, C., Microbial enzymatic activity and thermal effect in a tropical soil treated with organic materials (2008) Sci. Agric., 65, pp. 674-680Critter, S.A.M., Freitas, S.S., Airoldi, C., Calorimetry versus respirometry for the monitoring of microbial activity in a tropical soil (2001) Appl. Soil Ecol, 18, pp. 217-227Critter, S.A.M., Freitas, S.S., Airoldi, C., Microbial biomass and microcalorimetric methods in tropical soils (2002) Thermochim. Acta, 394, pp. 145-154Critter, S.A.M., Freitas, S.S., Airoldi, C., Comparison of microbial activity in some Brazilian soils by microcalorimetric and respirometric methods (2004) Thermochim. Acta, 410, pp. 35-46Critter, S.A.M., Freitas, S.S., Airoldi, C., Microcalorimetric measurements of the metabolic activity by bacteria and fungi in some Brazilian soils amended with different organic matter (2004) Thermochim. Acta, 417, pp. 275-281Dick, R.P., Kandeler, E., Enzymes in soils (2004) Encyclopedia of soils in the environment, pp. 448-455. , In: HILLEL, D., ed, Oxford, ElsevierDilly, O., Nannipieri, P., Response of ATP content, respiration rate and enzyme activities in an arable and a forest soil to nutrient additions (2001) Biol. Fert. Soils, 34, pp. 34-64Dinesh, R., Suryanarayana, M.A., Chaudhuri, S.G., Sheeja, T.E., Long-term of leguminous cover crops on the biochemical properties of a sandy clay loam Fluventic Sulfaquent in a humid tropical region of India (2004) Soil Tillage Res., 77, pp. 69-77Gattinger, A., Höfle, M.G., Schloter, M., Embacher, A., Böhme, F., Munch, J.C., Labrenz, M., Traditional cattle manure application determines abundance, diversity and activity of methanogenic Archaea in arable European soil (2007) Environ. Microbiol., 9, pp. 612-624Hope, C.F.A., Burns, R.G., Activity, origins and location of cellulase in a silt loam soil (1987) Biol. Fert. Soils, 5, pp. 164-170Kandeler, E., Tscherko, D., Bruce, K.D., Stemmer, M., Hobbs, P.J., Bardgett, R.D., Amelung, W., Structure and function of the soil microbial community in microhabitats of a heavy metal polluted soil (2000) Biol. Fert. Soils, 32, pp. 390-400Kunito, T., Saeki, K., Shigeko Goto, S., Hayashi, H., Oyaizu, H., Matsumoto, S., Copper and zinc fractions affecting microorganisms in long-term sludge amended soils (2001) Biores. Technol., 79, pp. 135-146Ladd, J.N., Butler, J.H.A., Short-term assays of soil proteolytic enzyme activities using proteins and dipeptide derivatives as substrates (1972) Soil Biol. Biochem., 4, pp. 19-30Laor, Y., Raviv, M., Borisover, M., Evaluating microbial activity in composts using microcalorimetry (2004) Termochim. Acta., 420, pp. 119-125Marinari, S., Masciandaro, G., Ceccanti, B., Grego, S., Influence of organic and mineral fertilizers on soil biological and physical properties (2000) Biores. 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Interpretation Of The Metabolic Enthalpy Change, Δhmet, Calculated For Microbial Growth Reactions In Soils

The microcalorimetric method was used to calculate the metabolic enthalpy change per mol of glucose degraded by soil microorganisms, ΔHmet. This parameter has been calculated by microcalorimetry for many organic, inorganic and biochemical reactions, but there is only some information about its quantification for microbial growth reactions in soils. Values of ΔHmet were calculated for different soil samples collected in Galicia (Spain) and Campinas (Sao Paolo, Brazil). Exponential microbial growth was stimulated in all soil samples by the addition of glucose and power-time curves were recorded. Results showed changes in the values of ΔHmet calculated for all the soil samples, suggesting a dependence of this value with the microbial growth rate constant, with the percentage of growth, with the initial number of microorganisms of soil samples, with the quantity of glucose added and with the strain of bacteria growing in soil. The interpretation of variations of ΔHmet provides important qualitative and quantitative information. It reports data that allow to interpret from a qualitative point of view, the increase in biomass as a consequence of the degradation of the organic matter in soil, to understand changes in the percentages of soil organic matter and to know if the microbial population growing in differential soil samples is homogeneous. Therefore, to report that value would be very important in ecological studies, but beforehand, it is necessary to solve some problems that can appear in the experiments done to make the quantification.632577588Yamano, H., Takahashi, K., (1983) Agric. Biol. Chem., 47, p. 1493Airoldi, C., Critter, S.A.M., (1996) Thermochim. Acta, 288, p. 73Ljungholm, K., Norén, B., Odham, G., (1980) Oikos, 34, p. 98Mortensen, U., Norén, B., Wadsö, I., (1973) Bull. Ecol. Res. Comm., 17, p. 189Nuñez, L., Barros, N., Barja, I., (1994) Thermochim. Acta, 237, p. 73Sparling, G.P., (1981) Soil Biol. Biochem., 13, p. 93Von Stockar, U., Marison, I., (989) Adv. Biochem. Eng. Biotechnol., 40, p. 93Murgier, M., Belaich, J.P., (1971) J. Bacteriol., 105, p. 573Kimura, T., Takahashi, K., (1985) J. Gen. Microbiol., 131, p. 3083Hashimoto, M., Takahashi, K., (1982) Agric. Biol. Biochem., 46, p. 1559Wei-Hong, X., Chang Tie, X., Song-Shung, Q., Tian-Quan, Y., (1992) Thermochim. Acta, 195, p. 297Barros, N., Gómez Orellana, I., Feijóo, S., Balsa, R., (1995) Thermochim Acta, 249, p. 161Gnaiger, E., (1983) J. Exp. Zool., 228, p. 471Gnaiger, E., Kemp, R.B., (1990) Biochim. Biophys. Acta, 1016, p. 328Yerushalmi, L., Volesky, B., (1981) Biotechnol. Bioeng., 23, p. 2373Gustafsson, L., (1991) Thermochim. Acta, 193, p. 145Gaudy, A.F., Yang, P.Y., Bustamante, R., Gaudy, E.T., (1973) Biotechnol. Bioeng., 15, p. 589Critter, S.A.M., Simoni, J.A., Airoldi, C., (1994) Thermochim. Acta, 232, p. 145Payne, W.J., (1970) Ann. Rev. Microbiol., 24, p. 17Brook, D.T., Madigan, M.T., (1993) Biology of Microorganisms, , Prentice Hall, New JerseyPelczar, M.J., Chan, E.C.S., (1981) Elements of Microbilogy, , McGraw-HillBarros, N., Feijóo, S., Balsa, R., (1997) Thermochim. Acta, 296, p. 53Birou, B., Marison, I., Von Stockar, U., (1987) Biotechnol. Bioeng., 30, p. 650Gustafsson, L., (1987) Microbes in the Sea, p. 167. , Ellis Horwood, ChichesterWinzler, R.J., Baumberger, J.P., (1938) J. Cell. Comp. Physiol., 12, p. 183Alexander, M., (1961) Introduction to Soil Microbiology, , Wiley, New YorkPrassad, P., Basu, S., Behera, N., (1994) Plant and Soil, 175, p. 8

Enzymatic activity measured by microcalorimetry in soil amended with organic residues

Enzymatic activity is an important property for soil quality evaluation. Two sequences of experiments were carried out in order to evaluate the enzymatic activity in a soil (Rhodic Eutrudox) amended with cattle manure, earthworm casts, or sewage sludges from the municipalities of Barueri and Franca. The activity of commercial enzymes was measured by microcalorimetry in the same soil samples after sterilization. In the first experiment, the enzyme activities of cellulase, protease, and urease were determined in the soil samples during a three month period. In the second sequence of experiments, the thermal effect of the commercial enzymes cellulase, protease, and urease on sterilized soil samples under the same tretaments was monitored for a period of 46 days. The experimental design was randomized and arranged as factorial scheme in five treatments x seven samplings with five replications. The treatment effects were statistically evaluated by one-way analysis of variance. Tukey´s test was used to compare means at p < 0.05. The presence of different sources of organic residues increased the enzymatic activity in the sampling period. Cattle manure induced the highest enzymatic activity, followed by municipal sewage sludge, whereas earthworm casts induced the lowest activity, but differed from control treatment. The thermal effect on the enzyme activity of commercial cellulase, protease, and urease showed a variety of time peaks. These values probably oscillated due to soil physical-chemical factors affecting the enzyme activity on the residues

Soil organic matter in fire-affected pastures and in an Araucaria forest in South-Brazilian Leptosols

The objective of this work was to evaluate the distribution pattern and composition of soil organic matter (SOM) and its physical pools of Leptosols periodically affected by fire over the last 100 years in South Brazil. Soil samples at 0-5, 5-10, and 10-15 cm depths were collected from the following environments: native pasture without burning in the last year and grazed with 0.5 livestock per hectare per year (1NB); native pasture without burning in the last 23 years and grazed with 2.0 livestock per hectare per year (23NB); and an Araucaria forest (AF). Physical fractionation was performed with the 0-5 and 5-10 cm soil layers. Soil C and N stocks were determined in the three depths and in the physical pools, and organic matter was characterized by infrared spectroscopy and thermogravimetry. The largest C stocks in all depths and physical pools were found under the AF. The 23NB environment showed the lowest soil C and N stocks at the 5-15 cm depth, which was related to the end of burning and to the higher grazing intensity. The SOM of the occluded light fraction showed a greater chemical recalcitrance in 1NB than in 23NB. Annual pasture burning does not affect soil C stocks up to 15 cm of depth