Influence of storage of soil samples on microbial biomass and its activity
1999
Simek, M. | Santruckova, H. (Jihoceska Univ., Ceske Budejovice (Czech Republic). Biologicka Fakulta)
The objective of this study was to assess the impact of soil storage on microbial biomass and its activities. Storage of most soils at 4+/-2 deg C influenced microbial biomass. After one week storage, both increase and decrease of microbial biomass were recorded. During further storage (after 18 as well as 60 weeks) decrease of microbial biomass was found. Microbial biomass in air-dried soil first increased, but then decreased, while bazal respiration was slightly increased. The results showed that microbial biomass and its activities can be substantially changed during the storage of soils after sampling. Although Stenberg et al. (1998) recommend freezing when soils are to be stored, our results show that microbial activities in defrosted soils can be substantially changed. When processing freezed soils, the critical step is defreezing. We suggest that refrigeration of soils at about 4 deg C is the most careful mode of storage but not even in this case uncontrolled changes in soils can be excluded.
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