Summary
Surface samples of a brown earth soil, showing signs of podzolization were transferred from an unpolluted woodland site and exposed to heavy atmospheric pollution for a period of one year. Although exposure resulted in a decrease in soil pH from 4.2 to 3.7, no significant changes in microbial numbers; nitrification rate; respiration rate; solubilization of insoluble phosphate; or the activity of a range of soil enzymes occurred. The rate of ammonification was, however, higher in the exposed than the control soil.
Microbial activity in the unpolluted soil was not, therefore, substantially impaired by exposure to heavy atmospheric pollution, despite the fact that the pH of the soil was reduced.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Baker, J., Hocking D. and Nyborg M. 1975 Acidity of open and intercepted precipitation in forests and effects on forest soils in Alberta, Canada.In Proc 1st Int Symp Acid Precipitation and the Forest Ecosystem, Columbus, Ohio, U.S.A. pp 779–790.
Bartha, R. and Pramer D. 1965 Features of a flask and method for measuring the persistence and biological effects of pesticides. Soil Sci.100, 68–70.
Frinck, C. R. and Voigt, G. K. 1975 Potential effects of acid precipitation on soils in the humid temperate zone.In Proc. 1st Int. Symp. Acid Precipitation and the Forest Ecosystem. Columbus, Ohio, U.S.A. pp 685–710.
Hesse, P. R. 1971 A Textbook of Soil Chemical Analysis J. Murray, London.
Malmer, N. 1976 Acid precipitation chemical changes in the soil. Ambio5, 231–234.
Nyborg, M., Crepin, J., Hocking, D., and Baker, J. 1975 Effects of sulphur dioxide on precipitation and on the sulphur, content and acidity of soils in Alberta, Canada.In Proc. 1st. Int. Symp. Acid Precipitation and the Forest Ecosystem. Columbus, Ohio, U.S.A. pp 767–778.
Overrein, L. N. 1971 Sulphur pollution patterns observed, leaching of calcium in forest soils determined. Ambio1, 145–147.
Ross, D. J. 1966 A survey of activities of enzymes, hydrolyzing sucrose and starch in soils under pasture. J. Soil Sci.17, 1–15.
Tabatabai, M. A. and Bremner, J. M. 1969 Use of p-nitrophenyl phosphate for assay of soil phosphatase activity. Soil Biol. Biochem.1, 301–307.
Tabatabai M. A. and Bremner, J. M. 1972 Assay of urease activity in soils. Soil Biol. Biochem.4, 479–487.
Tabatabai, M. A. and Singh, B. B. 1976 Rhodanese activity in soils. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J.40, 381–385.
Wainwright M. and Pugh G. J. F. 1973 The effect of three fungicides on nitrification and ammonification in soil. Soil Biol. Biochem.5, 577–584.
Wainwright, M. 1978 A modified sulphur medium for the isolation of sulphur oxidising fungi. Plant and Soil49, 191–193.
Wainwright, M. 1978 Sulphur oxidising micro-organisms on vegetation and in soils exposed to atmospheric pollution. Environ. Pollut.17, 167–174.
Wainwright, M. 1979 Microbial S-oxidation in soils exposed to heavy atmospheric pollution. Soil Biol. Biochem.11, 95–98.
Wainwright, M. 1979 Man-made emissions of sulphur and the soil. Intern. J. Environ. Studies14, 279–288.
Wieringa, K. T. 1966 Solid media with elemental sulphur for detection of S-oxidising microbes. Antonie van Leeuwenhoek. J. Microbiol. Serol.32, 183–186.
Wiklander, L. 1973 The acidification of soil by acid precipitation. Grundfoerbaettring4, 155–164.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Wainwright, M. Effect of exposure to atmospheric pollution on microbial activity in soil. Plant Soil 55, 199–204 (1980). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02181799
Received:
Revised:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02181799