scholarly journals Stoichiometric characteristics of microbial biomass in oil-contaminated soil in the loess hilly region

2021 ◽  
Vol 71 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lei Shi ◽  
Zhongzheng Liu

Abstract Purpose The present study envisaged the stoichiometry of microbial biomass in petroleum-contaminated soil, in order to study the influence of the petroleum-contaminated soil on the ecosystem stability. Methods A typical oil well area in the Northern Shaanxi was considered the research object and the oil pollution status was assessed by studying the physical, chemical, and microbiological characteristics of the soil in the area. Results From the measurement and analysis of the petroleum pollutants in the soil samples, it was observed that the concentration of the petroleum pollutants around all the oil well areas was higher than the critical value of 500 mg/kg. Furthermore, the C to N ratio of 8 soil samples around the oil wells (0.8:1~13.3:1) was lower than that of the control soil samples in most cases and could not reach the nutrient proportion level required by soil microorganisms. It was observed that the oil organic carbon content at 0~10 m from the wellhead was obviously higher than that in other areas, and decreased with an increase in the distance from the well. Based on the determination of soil organic carbon, total nitrogen, total phosphorus, and the soil microbial biomass carbon (SMBC), soil microbial biomass nitrogen (SMBN), and phosphorus content analysis, it was observed that only the soil organic carbon was significantly positively correlated to the oil pollutants in soil. Conclusions Imbalance in the C to N, SMBC, and SMBN ratio can lead to an acute shortage of the required nutrients than microorganisms, limit the soil microbial reproduction and growth, and thereby slow down the rate of indigenous microbial degradation of petroleum hydrocarbons, so as to reduce the impact of oil pollution on the stability of the entire ecosystem. Therefore, during the remediation of petroleum-contaminated soil in this study area, adequate nutrients need to be reasonably added to the soil.

Forests ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 9 (9) ◽  
pp. 508 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhiwei Ge ◽  
Shuiyuan Fang ◽  
Han Chen ◽  
Rongwei Zhu ◽  
Sili Peng ◽  
...  

Soil resident water-stable macroaggregates (diameter (Ø) > 0.25 mm) play a critical role in organic carbon conservation and fertility. However, limited studies have investigated the direct effects of stand development on soil aggregation and its associated mechanisms. Here, we examined the dynamics of soil organic carbon, water-stable macroaggregates, litterfall production, fine-root (Ø < 1 mm) biomass, and soil microbial biomass carbon with stand development in poplar plantations (Populus deltoides L. ‘35’) in Eastern Coastal China, using an age sequence (i.e., five, nine, and 16 years since plantation establishment). We found that the quantity of water-stable macroaggregates and organic carbon content in topsoil (0–10 cm depth) increased significantly with stand age. With increasing stand age, annual aboveground litterfall production did not differ, while fine-root biomass sampled in June, August, and October increased. Further, microbial biomass carbon in the soil increased in June but decreased when sampled in October. Ridge regression analysis revealed that the weighted percentage of small (0.25 mm ≤ Ø < 2 mm) increased with soil microbial biomass carbon, while that of large aggregates (Ø ≥ 2 mm) increased with fine-root biomass as well as microbial biomass carbon. Our results reveal that soil microbial biomass carbon plays a critical role in the formation of both small and large aggregates, while fine roots enhance the formation of large aggregates.


2018 ◽  
Vol 2 ◽  
pp. 96-101
Author(s):  
Dil Kumar Limbu ◽  
Madan Koirala

The soil microbial biomass carbon to soil organic carbon ratio is a useful measure to monitor soil organic matter and serves as a sensitive index than soil organic carbon alone. Thus, the objective of this study is to identify and quantify the present status of ratio of soil microbial biomass carbon to soil organic carbon in Himalayan rangeland and to make recommendations for enhancing balance between microbial carbon and organic carbon of the soil. To meet the aforementioned objective, a field study was conducted from 2011 to 2013 following the Walkley-Black, Chromic acid wet oxidation method, and chloroform fumigation method for analysis of microbial carbon and organic carbon respectively. The study showed that the heavily grazed plot had significantly less value of ratio than occasionally grazed and ungrazed plots. The ratio was significantly high on legume seeding plot compared to nonlegume plot, but the ratio was independent of soil depth. Soil microbial biomass appeared to be more responsive than soil organic matter.


2020 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 16-25
Author(s):  
Krishna Prasad Bhattarai ◽  
Tej Narayan Mandal

A comparative study was conducted to investigate the effect of altitudinal variation and seasonality on soil microbial biomass carbon (MB-C), nitrogen (MB-N), and phosphorus (MB-P) between Tarai Sal forest (TSF) and Hill Sal forest (HSF) of the tropical region in eastern Nepal. Soil microbial biomass was estimated by chloroform fumigation - extraction method in summer, rainy and winter seasons in the upper (0-15 cm) soil depth in both forests. Pre-conditioned soil samples were saturated with purified liquid chloroform, represented fumigated sample. Another set of soil samples without using chloroform, represented unfumigated samples and soil biomass was estimated from these samples. MB-C, MB-N, and MB-P were higher by 66%, 31%, and 9%, respectively, in HSF than TSF. Distinct seasonality was observed in soil microbial biomass. It was maximum in summer and minimum in rainy season in both the forest stands. The value decreased from summer to rainy season by 46 to 67% in HSF and by 32 to 80% in TSF. Higher soil microbial biomass in the summer season may be due to its accumulation in soil when the plant growth and nutrient demand are minimal. Analysis of variance suggested that MB-C, MB-N, and MB-P were significantly different for both sites and seasons (P < 0.001). Soil organic carbon, TN, and TP were positively correlated with MB-C, MB-N, and MB-P in both the forests. In conclusion, the higher value of soil microbial biomass in HSF may be due to the higher concentration of soil organic matter and decreasing turnover rate of microbial biomass due to higher altitude. On the other hand, the lower value of microbial biomass at TSF may indicate its fast turnover rate due to lowland tropics to enhance the nutrient cycling process.


2018 ◽  
Vol 3 (3) ◽  
pp. 94-97
Author(s):  
Oijagbe IJ ◽  
Abubakar BY ◽  
Edogbanya PRO

This study is aimed at evaluating the effect of heavy metals on soil microbial processes. The effects of Lead (Pb) and Cadmium (Cd) at different concentrations were investigated over a period of eight weeks. Chloride salts of Pb and Cd were added singly and in combination to soil samples at room temperature (27°C) in different polythene bags. Samples were taken from the bags at two weeks interval and measurements were taken of the rate of microbial biomass nitrogen (MBN). The results showed that there was a significant decrease in the microbial biomass for all treated soils from the second week to the sixth week. But there was an observed increase in microbial biomass Nitrogen on the eight week. On the 6thweek, 40mgkg-1Cd gave the most significant decrease (16µg/g) and 1000mgkg-1 Pb gave the least significant decrease (70µg/g) of MBN.


2010 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 671-682 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Guicharnaud ◽  
O. Arnalds ◽  
G. I. Paton

Abstract. Temperature change is acknowledged to have a significant effect on soil biological processes and the corresponding sequestration of carbon and cycling of nutrients. Soils at high latitudes are likely to be particularly impacted by increases in temperature. Icelandic soils experience unusually frequent freeze and thaw cycles compare to other Arctic regions, which are increasing due to a warming climate. As a consequence these soils are frequently affected by short term temperature fluctuations. In this study, the short term response of a range of soil microbial parameters (respiration, nutrient availability, microbial biomass carbon, arylphosphatase and dehydrogenase activity) to temperature changes was measured in sub-arctic soils collected from across Iceland. Sample sites reflected two soil temperature regimes (cryic and frigid) and two land uses (pasture and arable). The soils were sampled from the field frozen, equilibrated at −20 °C and then incubated for two weeks at −10 °C, −2 °C, +2 °C and +10 °. Respiration and enzymatic activity were temperature dependent. The soil temperature regime affected the soil microbial biomass carbon sensitivity to temperatures. When soils where sampled from the cryic temperature regime a decreasing soil microbial biomass was detected when temperatures rose above the freezing point. Frigid soils, sampled from milder climatic conditions, where unaffected by difference in temperatures. Nitrogen mineralisation did not change with temperature. At −10 °C, dissolved organic carbon accounted for 88% of the fraction of labile carbon which was significantly greater than that recorded at +10 °C when dissolved organic carbon accounted for as low as 42% of the labile carbon fraction.


2012 ◽  
Vol 518-523 ◽  
pp. 4701-4706
Author(s):  
Yun Xian Dai ◽  
Jing Hui Liu ◽  
Li Jun Li ◽  
Aodungerile Chen ◽  
Li Gang Wang ◽  
...  

The effects of three different fertilization patterns including single chemical fertilizer(DH), chemical-organic fertilizer(HY), and single organic fertilizer (DY),no fertilizer(CK) on soil microbial biomass, soil organic carbon content, yield and soil respiration flux in ridge cultivation maize fields in the West Liaohe region were studied. The results showed that soil microbial biomass, organic carbon content, yield and soil respiration flux under HY were higher than the rest of other treatments in 2005 and 2006. The varying order of soil microbial total biomass performed as HY>DY>DH>CK on the ridge-tillage maize farmland. The soil total nitrogen concentration, organic carbon concentration and respiration of HY were significantly higher than the rest of other treatments (p HY> DH > CK; the order of biological yield was DH>HY>DY> CK; the order of grain yield was HY>DH>DY> CK and the economic coefficient of HY was the highest in both years.


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