Pedosphere 15(6): 716--727, 2005
ISSN 1002-0160/CN 32-1315/P
©2005 Soil Science Society of China
Published by Elsevier B.V. and Science Press
| Seasonal development of microbial activity in soils of northern Norway |
M. BÖLTER1 , N. SOETHE1,2, R. HORN2 and C. UHLIG3 |
1 Institut für Polarökologie Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel Wischhofstr. 1-3 D-24148 Kiel (Germany). E-mail: mboelter@ipoe.uni-kiel.de
2 Institut für Pflanzenernährung und Bodenkunde Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel Olshausenstr. 40 D-24098 Kiel (Germany)
3 Holt Research Centre The Norwegian Crop Research Institute N-9292 Tromsφ (Norway) |
| ABSTRACT |
| Seasonal development of soil microbial activity and bacterial biomass in sub-polar regions was investigated to determine the impacts of biotic and abiotic factors, such as organic matter content, temperature and moisture. The study was performed during spring thaw from three cultivated meadows and two non-cultivated forest sites near Alta, in northern Norway. Samples from all five sites showed increasing respiration rates directly after the spring thaw with soil respiration activity best related to soil organic matter content. However, distributions of bacteria] biomass showed fewer similarities to these two parameters. This could be explained by variations of litter exploitation through the biomass. Microbial activity started immediately after the thaw while root growth had a longer time lag. An influence of root development on soil microbes was proposed for sites where microorganisms and roots had a tight relationship caused by a more intensive root structure. Also a reduction of microbial activity due to soil compaction in the samples from a wheel track could not be observed under laboratory conditions. New methodological approaches of differential staining for live and dead organisms were applied in order to follow changes within the microbial community. Under laboratory conditions freeze and thaw cycles showed a damaging influence on parts of the soil bacteria. Additionally, different patterns for active vs. non-active bacteria were noticeable after freeze-thaw cycles. |
| Key Words: bacterial biomass, freezing, microbial activity, soil compaction, thawing |
| Citation: BÖlter, M., Soethe, N., Horn, R. and Uhlig, C. 2005. Seasonal development of microbial activity in soils of northern Norway. Pedosphere. 15(6): 716-727. |
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