Plant Soil Environ., 2005, 51(10):439-446 | DOI: 10.17221/3615-PSE

Microbial biomass-C determined using CaCl2 and K2SO4 as extraction reagents

L. Růžek1, M. Nováková1, K. Voříšek1, I. Skořepová2, L. Vortelová1, Z. Kalfařová1, J. Černý1, T. Částka1, W. Barabasz3
1 CzechUniversity of Agriculture in Prague, Czech Republic
2 CzechEcological Institute in Prague, Czech Republic
3 University of Agriculture in Krakow, Poland

Microbial biomass-C [MBC] was determined by re-hydration [RHD] technique using two very similar salt solutions in dissociation potency (0.5 mol/l K2SO4 [MBC-K] and 0.01 mol/l CaCl2 [MBC-Ca]) in forest, grassland, arable Cambisols [Inceptisols] and Podzols [Spodosols]. MBC-Ca ranged from 254 to 5076 mg/kg dry soil (1.2-4.0% of Corg). 114 soil samples were examined in the years 2002 and 2003. Organic C compounds extracted by 0.5 mol/l K2SO4 [EC-K] and 0.01 mol/l CaCl2 [EC-Ca] increased in sequence: (1) arable Cambisols (100%), (2) cut and grazed grasslands (547%), (3) forest mineral horizon AH: 0-50 mm (783%) and (4) Norway spruce forest floor (2421%). The ratio EC-Ca/EC-K reached on average 62% and ranged from 48% to 74%. Correlation between EC-K and EC-Ca values is connected with soil organic matter status; the correlation was very close for Cambisols (r2 = 0.925), a medium correlation was found for forest floor (r2 = 0.380) and a weak correlation was observed for Podzols (r2 = 0.042). The correlation between MBC-K and MBC-Ca was very close in all cases: Cambisols (r2 = 0.811), Podzols (r2 = 0.904) and forest floor (r2 = 0.496). The ratio between organic carbon and organic nitrogen in 0.01 mol/l CaCl2 extracts [EC-Ca/Norg] could be declared as a new indicator for soil microbial association status.

Keywords: microbial biomass; K2SO4 and CaCl2 extractable C; arable, forest, grassland soils; Cambisols; Inceptisols; Podzols; Spodosols; extraction methods

Published: October 31, 2005  Show citation

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Růžek L, Nováková M, Voříšek K, Skořepová I, Vortelová L, Kalfařová Z, et al.. Microbial biomass-C determined using CaCl2 and K2SO4 as extraction reagents. Plant Soil Environ. 2005;51(10):439-446. doi: 10.17221/3615-PSE.
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