Abstract
The content of microbial biomass (MB) was determined in samples of gray forest, chestnut, and tundra soils with different physicochemical properties (0.4–22.7% Corg; 8.4–26.8% silt particles; pH 4.3–8.4) by the methods of substrate-induced respiration (MBSIR) and direct microscopy (MBM). The samples of two upper soil layers, 0–5 and 5–10 cm (without plant litter), from different ecosystems (forest, forest shelter belt, meadow, fallow, and arable) and elements of relief of interfluvial tundra (block/upper land plateau, depression between blocks) have been analyzed. The content of microbial biomass in the 0–5-cm soil layer was 216–8134 and 348–7513 μg C/g soil as measured by the methods of substrate-induced respiration and direct microscopy, respectively. The MBSIR and MBM values closely correlated with each other: r = 0.90 and 0.74 for 0–5 and 5–10 cm, respectively. The average MBSIR/MBM ratio was 90 and 60% for 0–5 and 5–10 cm, respectively. The portion of microbial carbon in total organic soil carbon was, on average, 4 and 3% (SIR) and 5 and 7% (direct microscopy) for 0–5 and 5–10 cm, respectively. Possible reasons for the differences between MBSIR and MBM values in the soils under study are discussed.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Jenkinson, D.S., Powlson, D.S., and Wedderburn, R.W., The Effects of Biocidal Treatments on Metabolism in Soil. III. The Relationship Between Biovolume Measured by Optical Microscopy, and the Flush of Decomposition Caused by Fumigation, Soil Biol. Biochem., 1976, vol. 8, no. 2, pp. 189–202.
Brookes, P.C., Heijnen, C.E., McGrath, S.P., and Vance, E.D., Soil Microbial Biomass Estimates in Soils Contaminated with Metals, Soil Biol. Biochem., 1986, vol. 18, no. 4, pp. 383–388.
Beck, T., Joergensen, R.G., Kandeler, E., Makeschin, F., Nuss, E., Oberholzer, H.R., and Scheu, S., An Inter-Laboratory Comparison of Ten Different Ways of Measuring Soil Microbial Biomass, Soil Biol. Biochem., 1997, vol. 29, no. 7, pp. 1023–1032.
Lin, Q. and Brookes, P.C., Comparison of Substrate-Induced Respiration, Selective Inhibition and Biovolume Measurements of Microbial Biomass and Its Community Structure in Unamended, Reygrass-Amended, Fumigated and Pesticide-Treated Soils, Soil Biol. Biochem., 1999, vol. 31, no. 14, pp. 1999–2014.
West, A.W. and Sparling, G.P., Modification to Substrate-Induced Respiration Method to Permit Measurement of Microbial Biomass of Different Water Contents, J. Microbiol. Methods, 1986, vol. 5, pp. 177–189.
Neely, C.L., Beare, V.H., Hargrove, W.L., and Coleman, D.C., Relationship between Fungal and Bacterial Substrate-Induced Respiration, Biomass and Plant Residue Decomposition, Soil Biol. Biochem., 1991, vol. 23, no. 10, pp. 947–954.
Ingham, E.R. and Horton, K.A., Bacterial, Fungal and Protozoan Responses to Chloroform Fumigation in Stored Soil, Soil Biol. Biochem., 1987, vol. 19, no. 5, pp. 545–550.
Domsch, K.H., Beck, Th., Anderson, J.P.E., Soderstom, B., Parkinson, D., and Trolldenier, G., A Comparison of Methods for Soil Microbial Population and Biomass Studies, Z. Pflanzenernaehr. Bodenkd., 1979, no. 142, pp. 520–533.
Kaiser, E.A., Muller, T., Joergensen, R.G., Insam, H., and Heinemeyer, O., Evaluation of Methods to Estimate the Soil Microbial Biomass and the Relationship with Soil Texture and Organic Matter, Soil Biol. Biochem., 1992, vol. 24, pp. 675–683.
Schnurer, J., Clarholm, M., and Rosswall, T., Microbial Biomass and Activity in An Agricultural Soil with Different Organic Carbon Contents, Soil Biol. Biochem., 1985, vol. 17, no. 6, pp. 611–618.
Anderson, J.P.E. and Domsch, K.H., A Physiological Method for the Quantitative Measurement of Microbial Biomass in Soils, Soil Biol. Biochem., 1978, vol. 10, no. 3, pp. 215–221.
Kozhevin, P.A., Mikrobnye populyatsii v prirode (Microbial Populations in Nature), Moscow: Mosk. Gos. Univ., 1989.
Polyanskaya, L.M., Golovhcenko, A.V., and Zvyagintsev, D.G., Microbial Biomass in Soils, Doklady AN, 1995, vol. 344, no. 6, pp. 846–848.
Velvis, H., Evaluation of the Selective Respiratory Inhibition Method for Measuring the Ratio of Fungal: Bacterial Activity in Acid Agricultural Soils, Biol. Fertil. Soils, 1997, vol. 25, pp. 354–360.
Stahl, P.D. and Parkin, T.B., Relationship of Soil Egrosterol Concentration and Fungal Biomass, Soil Biol. Biochem., 1996, vol. 28, pp. 845–855.
Stahl, P.D., Parkin, T.B., and Eash, N.S., Sources of Error in Direct Microscopic Methods for Estimation of Fungal Biomass in Soil, Soil Biol. Biochem., 1995, vol. 27, pp. 1091–1097.
Ingham, E.R. and Klein, D.A., Soil Fungi: Relationships between Hyphal Activity and Staining with Fluorescein Diacetate, Soil Biol. Biochem., 1984, vol. 16, pp. 273–278.
Polyanskaya, L.M., Orazova, M.K., Burkanova, O.A., and Zvyagintsev, D.G., Microsampling of Rhizosphere Soil and Laboratory Artifacts, Mikrobiologiya, 2000, vol. 69, no. 4, pp. 586–589 [Microbiology (Engl. Transl.), vol. 69, no. 4, pp. 486–489].
Evdokimova, G.A. and Mozgova, N.P., Microflora of Tundra Soils Of the Kola Peninsula, Pochvovedenie, 1995, no. 12, pp. 1487–1497.
Wardle, D.A., Yeates, G.W., Watson, R.N., and Nicholson, K.S., Response of Soil Microbial Biomass and Plant Litter Decomposition to Weed Management Strategies in Maize and Asparagus Ecosystems, Soil Biol. Biochem., 1993, vol. 25, pp. 857–868.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Original Russian Text © N.D. Ananyeva, L.M. Polyanskaya, E.A. Susyan, I.V. Vasenkina, S. Wirth, D.G. Zvyagintsev, 2008, published in Mikrobiologiya, 2008, Vol. 77, No. 3, pp. 404–412.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Ananyeva, N.D., Polyanskaya, L.M., Susyan, E.A. et al. Comparative assessment of soil microbial biomass determined by the methods of direct microscopy and substrate-induced respiration. Microbiology 77, 356–364 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1134/S0026261708030168
Received:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1134/S0026261708030168