Summary
Levels of aromatic and aliphatic acids in both Calluna and spruce soils followed a seasonal pattern with maximum levels of both classes of compound being found in summer months. Fatty acid yields were generally higher than those of the aromatics and were particularly high in the Calluna Ah horizon where they reached 6 mg/100 g soil (≡0.14 mM) in May and June. Of the individual acids o-hydroxybenzoic (salicylic) and benzoic acid were the most important aromatics each reaching levels around 1 mg/100 g soil (≡ approximately 0.03 mM) in Calluna soil, and 8-hydroxydecanoic (capric) yielding up to 3 mg/100 g (≡0.07 mM) in this soil in May, was the highest yielding aliphatic constiuent. Nonanoic acid yields of up to 0.76 mg (≡0.02 mM) were recorded. Collective and individual levels of both classes of compound in summer were higher than those which have previously been shown in seedling bioassays to produce considerable phytotoxicity. Fungitoxicity would also be expected at these levels of nonanoic acid. It is considered likely that these compounds are produced by microbial degradation of ericaceous plant residues which are rich in phenols and lipids and that summer peak levels arise because temperature and redox conditions are favourable for microbial activity at this time. The ecological significance of these observations is discussed.
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Jalal, M.A.F., Read, D.J. The organic acid composition of Calluna heathland soil with special reference to phyto- and fungitoxicity. Plant Soil 70, 273–286 (1983). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02374786
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02374786