This study focused on the combined effect of environmental conditions (temperature) and contamination (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, PAHs) on the activity of soil microorganisms (nitrifying bacteria). Phenanthrene (Phe) at five contamination levels (0, 1, 10, 100 and 1000 mg kg−1 dry mass of soil) was employed as a model PAH compound in laboratory experiments that were conducted at three temperatures (i.e., 20 °C (recommended by ISO 15685 method), 15 and 30 °C). Three soils with different properties were used in these studies, and the activity of the nitrifying bacteria was assessed based on nitrification potential (NP) determinations. For the statistical evaluation of the results, the ANCOVA (analysis of covariance) method for three independent variables (i.e., temperature, phenanthrene concentration, soil matrix (as a qualitative variable)) and their interactions was employed. The results indicated on the significant interaction of all studied factors. Temperature influenced the toxicity of Phe towards NP, and this effect was related to the Phe concentration as well as was varied for the different soils. A low content of soil organic matter (controlling bioavailability of phenanthrene to soil microorganisms) enhanced the combined effect of temperature and Phe toxicity, and a high biological activity of the soil (high NP values) increased the effect of high temperature on the Phe stimulatory influence. The results indicate that the temperature should not be neglected in tests evaluating PAH ecotoxicity, especially for reliable ecological risk assessment.

There is currently a requirement for studies focusing on the long-term sustainability of phytoremediation technologies. Trace element uptake by Salix, Populus and Alnus species planted in dredged contaminated canal sediment and concentrations in sediment and pore waters were investigated, eight years after a phytoremediation trial was initiated in NW England. Soil biological activity was also measured using invertebrate and microbial assays to determine soil quality improvements. Zinc was the dominant trace metal in foliage and woody stems, and the most mobile trace element in sediment pore water (∼14 mg l⁻¹). Biological activity had improved; earthworm numbers had increased from 5 to 24, and the QBS index (an index of microarthropod groups in soil) had increased from 70 to 88. It is concluded that biological conditions had improved and natural processes appear to be enhancing soil quality, but there remains a potential risk of trace element transfer to the wider environment.

Acidic deposition is a worldwide problem that often leads to the increase in soil available heavy metals. Liming and biochar can both raise soil pH and immobilize heavy metals. An experiment was conducted in the laboratory to study the effects of acidic deposition on soil Cd mobility and soil biological activity in a soil polluted with Cd. Biochar, prepared from poultry litter biochar (PLB) or eucalyptus biochar (EB) was added at a rate of 3 %. Liming controls, bringing the soil to the same pH as that attained with biochar, were also used. The experimental results showed a higher risk of Cd leaching and impaired biological properties under simulated acid rain. Biochar addition resulted in a reduction in the risk of leaching and in improved biological properties and could provide benefits over liming for the management of soil polluted with heavy metals, especially in areas affected by acidic deposition.

Reclaimed water is widely used for landscape irrigation with the benefits of saving fresh water and ameliorating soil quality. Field samples were collected from seven parks in Beijing irrigated reclaimed water with different irrigation history in 2011 and 2014 to evaluate the long-term impacts of reclaimed water irrigation on soil quality. Soil quality index method was used to assess the comprehensive effects of reclaimed water irrigation on soil. Results showed that the effects of reclaimed water irrigation on the soil nutrient conditions were limited. Compared with tap water irrigation, soil salinity was significantly higher in 2011, while the difference was insignificant in 2014; soil heavy metals were slightly higher by 0.5–10.6 % in 2011 and 2014, while the differences were insignificant. Under reclaimed water irrigation, soil biological activities were significantly improved in both years. Total nitrogen in reclaimed water had a largest effect on soil quality irrigated reclaimed water. Soil quality irrigated with reclaimed water increased by 2.6 and 6.8 % respectively in 2011 and 2014, while the increases were insignificant. Soil quality of almost half samples was more than or closed to soil quality of natural forest in Beijing. Soil quality was ameliorated at some extent with long-term reclaimed water irrigation.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons are organic compounds with highly toxic, carcinogenic, and mutagenic properties, which adversely affect the basic biological parameters of the soil, including the count of microorganisms, and the enzymatic activity. In addition to disturbances to the biological activity of the soil, PAHs may also exhibit toxic effects on plants. In view of the above, the study involved testing aimed at the determination of the effects of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in a form of naphthalene, phenanthrene, anthracene and pyrene on the count, colony development (CD) index, ecophysiological (EP) diversity index of organotrophic bacteria, and the activity of soil dehydrogenases and soil urease. Moreover, an attempt was made to determine the soil’s resistance based on the activity of the above-listed enzymes, and the effect of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons on seed germination and root growth was assessed by Lepidium sativum, Sorghum saccharatum, and Sinapis alba. In addition, the species of bacteria found in a soil subjected to strong pressure of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons were isolated. The experiment was performed in a laboratory on samples of loamy sand. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons were introduced into the soil in an amount of 0, 1000, 2000, and 4000 mg kg⁻¹ of soil dry matter. Germination and growth of cress (L. sativum), white mustard (S. alba), and sweet sorghum (S. saccharatum) were determined using Phytotoxkit tests. It was found that the tested PAHs increased the average colony counts of organotrophic soil bacteria; pyrene did so to the greatest extent (2.2-fold relative to non-contaminated soil), phenanthrene to the smallest extent (1.4-fold relative to non-contaminated soil). None of the PAHs changed the value of the bacterial colony development (CD) index, while anthracene and pyrene increased the value of the eco-physiological (EP) diversity indicator. PAHs lowered the activity of the tested enzymes. The activity of dehydrogenases was dependent on a greater extent by the type of hydrocarbon (54.56 %) rather than by the dose (10.64 %), while for the activity of urease, it was the opposite. The greater extent was dependent on dose (95.42 %) rather than by type (0.21 %). Dehydrogenases are characterised by greater resistance to the action of PAHs than urease. Based on seed germination and root growth, it has shown that S. alba is best suited, being the most vulnerable plant, while S. saccharatum is the least suited. Subjecting a soil to strong pressure of PAHs leads to disturbances to the biological parameters of the soil, seed germination, and root growth L. sativum, S. saccharatum, and S. alba.

Feather waste is a promising protein biomass available as by-product from poultry processing was found to be rich in peptides, amino acids, and minerals like nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium, iron, manganese, zinc, and copper. Soil and foliar application of these products, besides representing a sustainable solution to the problem of feather disposal, may also represent an effective strategy to tackle the environmental effluence. As a consequence, they were also found to be very attractive in elevating the protein, amino acids, reducing sugar, total chlorophyll, and proline content of plants. On the other side, fertilizing effect enhanced the antioxidant potential of banana fruit which was assessed using 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl, ferric reducing/antioxidant power, and N, N-dimethyl-p-phenylendiamine. This was associated with considerably higher antioxidant contents like total phenolics and flavonoids. Therefore, the application of this organic amendment could promote and improve the agro-ecosystem, human health; soil biological activities, and at the same time enhance the production of plant or products rich in bioactive substances.

A general introduction of the bait-lamina test has been made in this article. This article has an introductional character for other articles dealing with the bait-lamina test method and gives the experimental data.The test was first introduced by Törne in 1990 to measure the biological activity of soil. It enables the monitoring of biotic (microbial and zootic) processes in the soil within a short period of time, and detailed investigations. The test system is based on visual assessment of feeding on small portions of thin laminated bait substrate exposed to edaphic processes. The test system has found its application mainly in Germany but in the meanwhile also in Portugal, Switzerland and in the Netherlands in laboratories of soil ecology and soil ecotoxicology. At present there are only few publications in the international literature, but the interest in this method is growing. During the past years two workshops on the subject have been organized in Germany to summarize experiences with and to evaluate the test system and optimize the standard procedure.

Background, aim, and scope Soil contamination with heavy metals occurs as a result of both anthropogenic and natural activities. Heavy metals could have long-term hazardous impacts on the health of soil ecosystems and adverse influences on soil biological processes. Soil enzymatic activities are recognized as sensors towards any natural and anthropogenic disturbance occurring in the soil ecosystem. Similarly, microbial biomass carbon (MBC) is also considered as one of the important soil biological activities frequently influenced by heavy metal contamination. The polymerase chain reaction-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) has recently been used to investigate changes in soil microbial community composition in response to environmental stresses. Soil microbial community structure and activities are difficult to elucidate using single monitoring approach; therefore, for a better insight and complete depiction of the soil microbial situation, different approaches need to be used. This study was conducted in a greenhouse for a period of 12 weeks to evaluate the changes in indigenous microbial community structure and activities in the soil amended with different application rates of Cd, Pb, and Cd/Pb mix. In a field environment, soil is contaminated with single or mixed heavy metals; so that, in this research, we used the selected metals in both single and mixed forms at different application rates and investigated their toxic effects on microbial community structure and activities, using soil enzyme assays, plate counting, and advanced molecular DGGE technique. Soil microbial activities, including acid phosphatase (ACP), urease (URE), and MBC, and microbial community structure were studied. Materials and methods A soil sample (0-20 cm) with an unknown history of heavy metal contamination was collected and amended with Cd, Pb, and Cd/Pb mix using the CdSO₄ and Pb(NO₃)₂ solutions at different application rates. The amended soils were incubated in the greenhouse at 25 ± 4°C and 60% water-holding capacity for 12 weeks. During the incubation period, samples were collected from each pot at 0, 2, 9, and 12 weeks for enzyme assays, MBC, numeration of microbes, and DNA extraction. Fumigation-extraction method was used to measure the MBC, while plate counting techniques were used to numerate viable heterotrophic bacteria, fungi, and actinomycetes. Soil DNAs were extracted from the samples and used for DGGE analysis. Results ACP, URE, and MBC activities of microbial community were significantly lower (p < 0.05) in the metal-amended samples than those in the control. The enzyme inhibition extent was obvious between different incubation periods and varied as the incubation proceeded, and the highest rate was detected in the samples after 2 weeks. However, the lowest values of ACP and URE activities (35.6% and 36.6% of the control, respectively) were found in the Cd₃/Pb₃-treated sample after 2 weeks. Similarly, MBC was strongly decreased in both Cd/Pb-amended samples and highest reduction (52.4%) was detected for Cd₃/Pb₃ treatment. The number of bacteria and actinomycetes were significantly decreased in the heavy metal-amended samples compared to the control, while fungal cells were not significantly different (from 2.3% to 23.87%). In this study, the DGGE profile indicated that the high dose of metal amendment caused a greater change in the number of bands. DGGE banding patterns confirmed that the addition of metals had a significant impact on microbial community structure. Discussion In soil ecosystem, heavy metals exhibit toxicological effects on soil microbes which may lead to the decrease of their numbers and activities. This study demonstrated that toxicological effects of heavy metals on soil microbial community structure and activities depend largely on the type and concentration of metal and incubation time. The inhibition extent varied widely among different incubation periods for these enzymes. Furthermore, the rapid inhibition in microbial activities such as ACP, URE, and MBC were observed in the 2 weeks, which should be related to the fact that the microbes were suddenly exposed to heavy metals. The increased inhibition of soil microbial activities is likely to be related to tolerance and adaptation of the microbial community, concentration of pollutants, and mechanisms of heavy metals. The DGGE profile has shown that the structure of the bacterial community changed in amended heavy metal samples. In this research, the microbial community structure was highly affected, consistent with the lower microbial activities in different levels of heavy metals. Furthermore, a great community change in this study, particularly at a high level of contamination, was probably a result of metal toxicity and also unavailability of nutrients because no nutrients were supplied during the whole incubation period. Conclusions The added concentrations of heavy metals have changed the soil microbial community structure and activities. The highest inhibitory effects on soil microbial activities were observed at 2 weeks of incubation. The bacteria were more sensitive than actinomycetes and fungi. The DGGE profile indicated that bacterial community structure was changed in the Cd/Pb-amended samples, particularly at high concentrations. Recommendations and perspectives The investigation of soil microbial community structure and activities together could give more reliable and accurate information about the toxic effects of heavy metals on soil health.