Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Microbial biomass in soils under different tillage and crop rotation systems

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Biology and Fertility of Soils Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

A long-term study on the effect of different crop rotations [soybean/wheat, S/W; maize/wheat, M/W or cotton/wheat, C/W] and tillage regimes [no-tillage (NT) or conventional tillage (CT)] on microbial biomass and other soil properties is reported. The experiment was established in 1976 in southern Brazil as a split-plot experimental design in three replications. Soil samples were taken in 1997 and 1998 at 0- to 5-, 5- to 10- and 10- to 20-cm depths and evaluated for microbial biomass C, N, P and S by direct extraction methods. The NT system showed increases of 103%, 54%, 36%, and 44% for microbial biomass C, N, P, and Cmic:Corg percentage, respectively at the 0- to 5-cm depth. NT systems also increased the C to N:S:P ratios. These results provide evidence that tillage or crop rotation affect microbial immobilization of soil nutrients. The larger amount of C immobilized in microbial biomass suggests that soil organic matter under NT systems provides higher levels of more labile C than CT systems.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Alvarez R, Díaz RA, Barbero N, Santanatoglia OJ, Blotta L (1995) Soil organic carbon, microbial biomass and CO2-C production from three tillage systems. Soil Tillage Res 33:17–28

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Anderson TH, Domsch KH (1980) Quantities of plant nutrients in the microbial biomass of selected soils. Soil Sci 130:211–216

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Anderson TH, Domsch KH (1989) Ratios of microbial biomass carbon to total organic carbon in arable soils. Soil Biol Biochem 21:471–479

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Balota EL, Colozzi-Filho A, Andrade DS, Hungria M (1998) Biomassa microbiana e sua atividade em solos sob diferentes sistemas de preparo e sucessão de culturas. Rev Bras Cienc Solo 22:641–649

    Google Scholar 

  • Balota EL, Kanashiro M, Dick RP (2002) Soil enzyme activities under long-term tillage and crop rotation systems. Soil Biol Biochem (in press)

  • Beare MH, Cabrera ML, Hendrix PF, Coleman DC (1994) Aggregate-protected and unprotected organic matter pools in conventional and no-tillage soils. Soil Sci Soc Am J 58:787–795

    Google Scholar 

  • Brookes PC (1995) The use of microbial parameters in monitoring soil pollution by heavy metals. Biol Fertil Soils 19:269–279

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Brookes PC, Powlson DS, Jenkinson DS (1982) Measurement of microbial biomass phosphorus in the soil. Soil Biol Biochem 14:319–329

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Brookes PC, Powlson DS, Jenkinson DS (1984) Phosphorus in the soil microbial biomass. Soil Biol Biochem 16:169–175

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Brookes PC, Landman A, Pruden G, Jenkinson DS (1985) Chloroform fumigation and the realease of soil nitrogen: a rapid direct extraction method to measure microbial biomass nitrogen in soil. Soil Biol Biochem 17:837–842

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Carter MR (1986) Microbial biomass as an index for tillage-induced changes in soil biological properties. Soil Tillage Res 7:29–40

    Google Scholar 

  • Castro-Filho C, Lourenço Guimarães M de F, Fonseca ICB (2002) Aggregate stability under different soil management systems in a red latosol in the state of Parana, Brazil. Soil Tillage Res 65:45–51

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chapman SJ (1987) Microbial biomass sulphur in some Scottish soils. Soil Biol Biochem 19:301–305

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Dick RP (1992) A review: long-term effects of agricultural systems on soil biochemical and microbial parameters. Agric Ecosyst Environ 40:25–36

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Doran JW, Parkin TB (1994) Defining and assessing soil quality. In: Doran JW, Coleman DC, Bezdicek DF, Stewart BA (eds) Defining soil quality for a sustainable environment. Soil Science Society of America, Madison, Wis., pp 3–35

  • Fauci MF, Dick RP (1994) Soil microbial dynamics: short-and long-term effects of inorganic and organic nitrogen. Soil Sci Soc Am J 58:801–806

    Google Scholar 

  • Follet RF, Schimel DS (1989) Effect of tillage practices on microbial biomass dynamics. Soil Sci Soc Am J 53:1091–1096

    Google Scholar 

  • Franzluebbers AJ, Hons FM, Zuberer DA (1995) Soil organic carbon, microbial biomass, and mineralizable carbon and nitrogen in sorghum. Soil Sci Soc Am J 59:460–466

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Guerra JGM, Fonseca MC, Almeida DL, De-Polli H, Fernandes MS (1995) Conteúdo de fósforo da biomassa microbiana de um solo cultivado com Brachiaria decumbens Stapf. Pesqui Agropecu Bras 30:543–551

    Google Scholar 

  • Hungria M, Andrade DS, Colozzi-Filho A, Balota EL (1997) Interação entre microrganismos do solo, feijoeiro e milho em monocultura ou consórcio. Pesqui Agropecu Bras 32:807–818

    Google Scholar 

  • Jenkinson DS, Ladd JN (1981) Microbial biomass in soil: measurement and turnover. In: Paul EA, Ladd JM (eds) Soil biochemistry, vol 5. Decker, New York, pp 415–471

  • Joergensen RG, Kübler H, Meyer B, Wolters V (1995) Microbial biomass phosphorus in soils of beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) forests. Biol Fertil Soils 19:215–219

    Google Scholar 

  • McLaughlin MJ, Alston AM (1986) Measurement of phosphorus in the soil microbial biomass: a modified procedure for field soils. Soil Biol Biochem 18:437–443

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mendes IC, Bandick AK, Dick RP, Bottomley P (1999) Microbial biomass and activities in soil aggregates affected by winter cover crops. Soil Sci Soc Am J 63:873–881

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Miller M, Dick RP (1995) Dynamics of soil C and microbial biomass in whole soil and aggregates in two cropping systems. Appl Soil Ecol 2:253–261

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pavan MA, Bloch Mde F, Zemplski H da C, Miyazawa M, Zocoler DC (1992) Manual de análise química de solo e controle de qualidade. (Circular técnica 76) IAPAR, Londrina

  • Perrot KW, Sarathchandra SU (1989) Phosphorus in the microbial biomass of New Zealand soils under established pasture. NZ J Agric Res 32:409–413

    Google Scholar 

  • Powlson DS, Jenkinson DS (1981) A comparison of the organic matter, biomass, adenosine triphosphate and mineralizable nitrogen contents of ploughed and direct-drilled soils. J Agric Sci 97:713–721

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Powlson DS, Brookes PC, Christensen BT (1987) Measurement of soil microbial biomass provides an early indication of changes in the total soil organic matter due to straw incorporation. Soil Biol Biochem 19:159–164

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Prasad P, Basu S, Behra N (1994) A comparative account of the microbiological characteristics of soils under natural forest, grassland and crop field from Eastern India. Plant Soil 175:85–91

    Google Scholar 

  • Rheinheimer DS, Anghinoni I, Conte E (2000) Fósforo da biomassa microbiana em solos sob diferentes sistemas de manejo. Rev Bras Cienc Solo 24:589–598

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Saffigna PG, Powlson DS, Brookes PC, Thomas GA (1989) Influence of sorghum residues and tillage on soil organic matter and soil microbial biomass in an Australian Vertisol. Soil Biol Biochem 21:759–765

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • SAS Institute (1998) SAS/STAT users guide, vol 2, version 7. SAS, Cary, N.C.

  • Smith JL, Paul EA (1990) The significance of microbial biomass estimations. In: Bollag JM, Stozky G (eds.) Soil biochemistry. Decker, New York, pp 357–396

  • Sorensen P, Ladd JN, Amato M (1996) Microbial assimilation of 14C of ground and unground plant materials decomposing in a loamy sand and a clay soil. Soil Biol Biochem 28:1425–1434

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sparling GP (1992) Ratio of microbial biomass carbon to soil organic carbon as a sensitive indicator of changes in soil organic matter. Aust J Soil Res 30:195–207

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sparling GP (1997) Soil microbial biomas, activity and nutrient cycling as indicators of soil health. In: Pankhurst C, Doube BM, Gupta VVSR (eds) Biological indicators of soil health. CAB International, Wallingford, pp 97–119

  • Sparling GP, West AW (1988) A direct extraction method to estimate soil microbial C: calibration in situ using microbial respiration and 14C labeled cells. Soil Biol Biochem 20:337–343

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Vance ED, Brookes PC, Jenkinson DS (1987) An extraction method for measuring soil microbial biomass carbon. Soil Biol Biochem 19:703–707

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wardle DA (1995) Impacts of disturbance on detritus food webs in agro-ecosystems of contrasting tillage and weed management practices. Adv Ecol Res 26:105–185

    Google Scholar 

  • Wheatley R, Ritz K, Griffiths B (1990) Microbial biomass and mineral N transformations in soil planted with barley, ryegrass, pea, or turnip. Plant Soil 127:157–167

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Soil Department, Instituto Agronômico do Paraná (IAPAR), Caixa Postal 481, 86001-970 , Londrina, Paraná, Brazil

    Elcio L. Balota, Arnaldo Colozzi-Filho & Diva S. Andrade

  2. Crop and Soil Science Department, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331-7306, USA

    Richard P. Dick

Authors
  1. Elcio L. Balota
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Arnaldo Colozzi-Filho
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Diva S. Andrade
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Richard P. Dick
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Elcio L. Balota.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Balota, E.L., Colozzi-Filho, A., Andrade, D.S. et al. Microbial biomass in soils under different tillage and crop rotation systems. Biol Fertil Soils 38, 15–20 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00374-003-0590-9

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00374-003-0590-9

Keywords

Search

Navigation