Summary
Every second month for 2 years a beech forest floor was treated with pentachlorophenol and 2,4,5-trichorophenoxyacetic acid each in two concentrations. The microbial biomass and its respiration activity in the three litter horizons were measured during this time and during a recovery period of 2 years after the treatment was stopped. The microbial biomass, mainly fungi, was decreased dose-responsively, as was the respiration rate. The doubling time of the fungal biomass was estimated to be about 50–100 days in the F horizon, and considering the natural decreases and recovery times observed, it is suggested, following Domsch et al. (1983), that a biomass decrease of 75%–93.75% is tolerable, a decrease of less than 75% is negligible, and a decrease of over 93.75% is critical.
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Schönborn, W., Dumpert, K. Effects of pentachlorophenol and 2,4,5-trichlorophenoxyacetic acid on the microflora of the soil in a beech wood. Biol Fertil Soils 9, 292–300 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00634104
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00634104