Soil microbial biomass and gas-production activity (CO2) in Chernozems of different land use

Year 2015, Special Issue, - , 31.01.2015

Kristina Ivashchenko Nadezhda Ananyeva Vyacheslav Vasenev O. Ryzhkov V. Kudeyarov R. Valentini

https://doi.org/10.21657/tsd.47684

Cited By: 2

Abstract

The typical chernozems (Kursk region, Russia) in undisturbed (virgin and mowing steppe) and
disturbed (pasture, black fallow, arable and including urban) ecosystems were studied. In each ecosystem
and urban functional zone (recreational, residential and industrial) soil samples were collected in 3-5
randomly chosen locations from the depths 0-10, 10-50, 50-100 and 100-150 cm (total 124). In the
collected samples soil microbial biomass (Cmic) was analyzed by substrate-induced respiration method
and basal (microbial) respiration (BR) was measured. The ratio of BR / Cmic = qCO2 and portion of Cmic in
soil organic carbon (Corg) were estimated. In the soils (0-10 cm) under black fallow, arable and urban
ecosystems the Cmic content and Cmic / Corg ratio were almost two times less compared to undisturbed
ecosystems. Reduction of Cmic, BR and Cmic / Corg and increase of qCO2 value down the chernozem's
profile was reported. The Cmic stocks over the chernozem's profile were 2-4 times higher in undisturbed
ecosystems than in disturbed ones. Topsoil 10 cm contributed to the major part of the total Cmic and BR
over the profile (41-79%). The excess of CO2 production (BR) in urban soils was shown.

Keywords

Typical chernozems, soil microbial biomass carbon, soil respiration, land use