Journal article
Authors list: Joergensen, RG; Anderson, TH; Wolters, V
Publication year: 1995
Pages: 141-147
Journal: Biology and Fertility of Soils
Volume number: 19
Issue number: 2-3
DOI Link: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00336150
Publisher: Springer
Soils from 38 German forest sites, dominated by beech trees (Fagus sylvatica
Abstract:
L.) were sampled to a depth of about 10 cm after careful removal of
overlying organic layers. Microbial biomass N and C were measured by
fumigation-extraction. The pH of the soils varied between 3.5 and 8.3,
covering a wide range of cation exchange capacity, organic C, total N,
and soil C:N values. Maximum biomass C and biomass N contents were 2116
μg C m-2 and 347 μg N m-2, while minimum contents were 317 and 30 μg m-2,
respectively. Microbial biomass N and C were closely correlated. Large
variations in microbial biomass C:N ratios were observed (between 5.4
and 17.3, mean 7.7), indicating that no simple relationship exists
between these two parameters. The frequency distribution of the
parameters for C and N availability to the microflora divided the soils
into two subgroups (with the exception of one soil): (1) microbial:
organic C>12 mg g-1, microbial:total N>28 mg g-1 (n=23), a group with high C and N availability, and (2) microbial:organic C≤12 mg g-1, microbial:total N≦28 mg g-1 (n=14),
a group with low C and N availability. With the exception of a
periodically waterlogged soil, the pH of all soils belonging to subgroup
2 was below 5.0 and the soil C:N ratios were comparatively high. Within
these two subgroups no significant correlation between the microbial
C:N ratio and soil pH or any other parameter measured was found. The
data suggest that above a certain threshold (pH 5.0) microbial C:N
values vary within a very small range over a wide range of pH values.
Below this threshold, in contrast, the range of microbial C:N values
becomes very large.
Citation Styles
Harvard Citation style: Joergensen, R., Anderson, T. and Wolters, V. (1995) Carbon and nitrogen relationships in the microbial biomass of soils in beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) forests, Biology and Fertility of Soils, 19(2-3), pp. 141-147. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00336150
APA Citation style: Joergensen, R., Anderson, T., & Wolters, V. (1995). Carbon and nitrogen relationships in the microbial biomass of soils in beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) forests. Biology and Fertility of Soils. 19(2-3), 141-147. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00336150