Role of Microbial Biomass Carbon and Nitrogen in Soil Quality
2013; Linguagem: Inglês
10.2136/sssaspecpub49.c12
ISSN2165-9826
AutoresCharles W. Rice, Thomas B. Moorman, Michael H. Beare,
Tópico(s)Clay minerals and soil interactions
ResumoMicrobial biomass carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) can be estimated by converting cell counts and their estimated C, N, and water content to biomass C and N equivalents. The recommended procedure for measuring microbial biomass C and N uses the chloroform fumigation technique followed by incubation or direct extraction. The incubation technique has the advantage in that mineralizable C and N also can be measured simultaneously, which is another useful indicator of soil organic matter and its quality. Expressing the size of the microbial biomass in relation to other parameters, such as total soil organic C and N, mineralizable C and N or respiration, may provide a measure of soil organic matter dynamics and thus soil quality. The chapter provides examples that demonstrate the utility of microbial biomass measurements in soil quality assessment.
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