Title: Bacterial, fungal and protozoan responses to chloroform fumigation in stored soil
Abstract: Microbial biomass estimated by CO2 evolution following fumigation was 2.5–14.7 times greater than that estimated by direct microscopy in prairie soil. Bacteria, fungi and protozoa were counted by direct microscopy before, during and periodically for 10 days following chloroform fumigation and compared with microbial biomass as estimated by CO2 evolution and N mineralization following chloroform fumigation. Protozoan populations were reduced to below detection levels immediately after fumigation and remained below detection levels during incubation following fumigation. Bacterial and fungal populations were reduced by fumigation to 37–79% of their original populations but usually recovered to their initial numbers by the second day following fumigation. In one case protozoa contributed up to 74 μg C, or about half of the total microbial biomass, to CO2 evolution following fumigation. Microbial biomass was estimated in soil wetted to 60% of water-holding capacity (WHC) 1 wk or 1 day before fumigation. Microbial activity changed during the 1 wk incubation before fumigation but not total microbial biomass determined by microscopy. The ratio of CO2 evolved-to-N mineralized followed fumigation changed in direct proportion to the ratio of fungal-to-bacterial biomass present in the soil before fumigation. Although more experiments with different soils should be performed, these results indicate that CO2 evolved or N mineralized varies with the ratio of fungal-to-bacterial biomass initially present.
Publication Year: 1987
Publication Date: 1987-01-01
Language: en
Type: article
Indexed In: ['crossref']
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Cited By Count: 77
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