Impact of Iron, Copper and Nickel Ions Introduced Into the Soil Separately and in Various Combinations on Soil Microbiota

In a long-term model experiment, the abundance dynamics of soil microorganisms was studied as affected by pollution of southern chernozem soils with various concentrations and combinations of iron, nickel and copper ions. In the course of this study, soil microbiocenoses were seeded on solid nutrient media and the following values were estimated: the total numbers of heterotrophic microorganisms on meat–peptone agar, the numbers of iron-oxidizing microorganisms on a selective medium in 0, 30, 90 and 210 days after the introduction of heavy metal ions into the soil. A characteristic diverse impact of heavy metal ions on soil microorganisms was established, and the degree of stability of soil microbocenoses of southern chernozem was revealed. Iron and copper concentrations of 10 and 50 RGCB/MPC in 30 days after soil contamination by individual metal ions or their combinations stimulated the proliferation of heterotrophic microorganisms in the soil microbocenoses and 90 days later the number of this microbial group decreased to the control levels and below. After 210 days, the microbiocenoses returned to a stable state. Nickel ions, introduced into the soil at a concentration of 50 MPC separately and in a number of combinations with other heavy metal ions, did not stimulate the proliferation of heterotrophic microorganisms. Opposite trends were observed in the abundance dynamics of iron-oxidizing microorganisms. With the exception of some model variants such as 10 and 50 MPC of Cu (II), iron, nickel and their combinations in various concentrations inhibited the proliferation of ironoxidizing microorganisms in the first month after soil contamination. The inhibitory effect of a combination of heavy metal ions was stronger than that of individual metals. After 90 days, the numbers of iron-oxidizing microorganisms restored to the control level or even exceeded it. After 210 days, an inhibition of the proliferation of ironoxidizing microorganisms was observed in the microbocenoses, or their abundance corresponded to the value in the control soil sample.