Pedosphere 10(1): 37--44, 2000
ISSN 1002-0160/CN 32-1315/P
©2000 Soil Science Society of China
Published by Elsevier B.V. and Science Press
| Some limitations of BIOLOG system for determining soil microbial community |
| YAO Huai-Ying1, HE Zhen-Li1, C. D. CAMPBELL2 and M. J. WILSON2 |
1 Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 510029 (China)
2 Macaulay Land Use Research Institute, Craigiebuckler, Aberdeen AB15 8QH (UK) |
| ABSTRACT |
| A laboratory experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of triphenyltetrazolium chloride (TTC) on soil microorganisms and the availability of pH characterization medium in BIOLOG plates. Application of TTC decreased the colour development sharply and resulted in a great biocidal effect on the growth and reproduction of soil microorganisms. The microtitration plates with 21 carbon sources and two different pH levels (4.7 and 7.0) were used to determine microbial community structure of eight red soils. The average utilization (average well colour development) of the carbon sources in the plates with different pH levels generally followed the same sigmoidal pattern as that in the traditional BIOLOG plates, but the pH 4.7 plates increased the discrimination of this technique, compared with the pH 7.0 plates. Since most tested soils are acid, a suitable pH characterization medium would be preferable for a specific soil in the sole carbon source test. |
| Key Words: BIOLOG, microbial community, red soil, triphenyltetrazolium chloride |
| Citation: Yao, H. Y., He, Z. L., Campbell, C. D. and Wilson, M. J. 2000. Some limitations of BIOLOG system for determining soil microbial community. Pedosphere. 10(1): 37-44. |
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