Enzyme activities and microbial functional diversity in metal(loid) contaminated soils near to a copper smelter

AbstractFor straw incorporation, three crucial factors affect the soil microbial community and various enzyme activities: straw length, amount and burial depth. To analyse the individual and interactive effects of these three factors on the soil microbial community and various enzyme activities, 23 treatments with five levels of the three variables (straw length, amount and burial depth) were applied in a quadratic orthogonal rotation combination design. A comprehensive indicator was constructed that could represent soil microbial functional diversity and enzyme activity by determining the weights of measured indicators and using Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS). The results indicated that the soil microbiological indicators have a higher criteria weight than soil enzyme activity indicators. The final weight orders of indicators were as follows: Shannon–Weaver > invertase > Shannon evenness > urease > catalase > McIntosh index > Simpson diversity > phosphatase. The soil comprehensive values constructed by the TOPSIS method are reliable. The optimal combination for the improvement of soil microbial functional diversity and enzyme activity was a straw length of 13–24 cm, burial depth of 10–17 cm and straw amount of 370–650 g/m2.

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Effects of Nitrogen Deposition on Soil Microbial Biomass, Microbial Functional Diversity and Enzyme Activities in Fir Plantations of Subtropical China

Advanced Materials Research ◽

10.4028/www.scientific.net/amr.610-613.323 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 610-613 ◽

pp. 323-330 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Ying Hong Yuan

Keyword(s):

Microbial Biomass ◽

Functional Diversity ◽

Polyphenol Oxidase ◽

Enzyme Activities ◽

Soil Microbial Biomass ◽

Soil Depth ◽

N Deposition ◽

Soil Parameters ◽

Microbial Functional Diversity ◽

Soil Microbial

The effects of simulated nitrogen (N) deposition on soil microbial biomass, microbial functional diversity and enzyme activities involved in C cycling (sucrase, β-glucosidase, cellulose, amylase, polyphenol oxidase and peroxidase) were studied in southeast Chinese fir plantation (Cunninghamialanceolata (Lamb.)). All soil parameters measured decreased with increasing soil depth. The results indicated that low N (N1) deposition could accelerate soil microbial biomass and functional diversity, but moderate or high N deposition (N2, N3) restrain them. Nitrogen additions promoted soil sucrase, β-glucosidase and cellulase activities, while inhibited soil amylase, polyphenol oxidase and peroxidase activities to some extent, suggesting that decomposition of labile and recalcitrant organic matter were promoted and restricted by extra N deposition, respectively. Changes in microbial community biomass and function under extra N deposition indicated soil ecosystems experienced functional shifts under the current or future condition of human-accelerated N supply.

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