Skip to main content

Lund University Publications

LUND UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

Impact of microbial-feeding animals on total soil activity and nitrogen dynamics - a soil microcosm experiment

Bååth, Erland LU ; Lohm, U., ; Lundgren, B. ; Rosswall, T., ; Söderström, Bengt LU and Sohlenius, B., (1981) In Oikos 37(3). p.257-264
Abstract
Abstract in Undetermined
The long-term impact of microbial-feeding animals on microbial populations was studied in microcosms containing pine seedlings growing in a gamma sterilized humus-sand mixture. Organism communities of diverse complexity were introduced into the microcosms. The two main experimental series contained microorganisms only and microorganisms and microorganism-feeding nematodes, respectively. After 18 months the following analyses were made: soil chemical characteristics, weight and nitrogen content of the seedlings, soil respiration, abundance, biomass, and in some cases, species composition of the different soil organism populations. During the incubation, leaching of nitrogen from the microcosms was measured... (More)
Abstract in Undetermined
The long-term impact of microbial-feeding animals on microbial populations was studied in microcosms containing pine seedlings growing in a gamma sterilized humus-sand mixture. Organism communities of diverse complexity were introduced into the microcosms. The two main experimental series contained microorganisms only and microorganisms and microorganism-feeding nematodes, respectively. After 18 months the following analyses were made: soil chemical characteristics, weight and nitrogen content of the seedlings, soil respiration, abundance, biomass, and in some cases, species composition of the different soil organism populations. During the incubation, leaching of nitrogen from the microcosms was measured continuously. The rate of nitrogen leaching from the microcosms increased during the first 6 months. During the remaining 12 months the leaching stabilized at a low rate. Initially, the series with microbial-feeding nematodes had a lower rate of nitrogen loss through leaching compared to the series with only microorganisms added. Towards the end of the experiment the situation was reversed. The pine seedlings showed a very poor growth in all series with no significant differences between the treatments. In the microcosms, bacteria appeared to be the most important microorganism group; fungi, algae and yeasts were present in low amounts. The presence of bacterial feeding nematodes reduced the number of bacteria but did not reduce the soil respiration rate. A significant correlation was obtained between the numbers of nematodes and the respiration rate of the microcosms, which is interpreted as an increased bacterial production rate due to the presence of bacterial-feeding animals. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Oikos
volume
37
issue
3
pages
257 - 264
publisher
Wiley-Blackwell
ISSN
1600-0706
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
8c5adc5f-c276-4e40-82f2-2d53423a1790 (old id 2226508)
alternative location
http://www.jstor.org/stable/3544116
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 12:24:06
date last changed
2021-03-22 14:05:14
@article{8c5adc5f-c276-4e40-82f2-2d53423a1790,
  abstract     = {{Abstract in Undetermined<br/>The long-term impact of microbial-feeding animals on microbial populations was studied in microcosms containing pine seedlings growing in a gamma sterilized humus-sand mixture. Organism communities of diverse complexity were introduced into the microcosms. The two main experimental series contained microorganisms only and microorganisms and microorganism-feeding nematodes, respectively. After 18 months the following analyses were made: soil chemical characteristics, weight and nitrogen content of the seedlings, soil respiration, abundance, biomass, and in some cases, species composition of the different soil organism populations. During the incubation, leaching of nitrogen from the microcosms was measured continuously. The rate of nitrogen leaching from the microcosms increased during the first 6 months. During the remaining 12 months the leaching stabilized at a low rate. Initially, the series with microbial-feeding nematodes had a lower rate of nitrogen loss through leaching compared to the series with only microorganisms added. Towards the end of the experiment the situation was reversed. The pine seedlings showed a very poor growth in all series with no significant differences between the treatments. In the microcosms, bacteria appeared to be the most important microorganism group; fungi, algae and yeasts were present in low amounts. The presence of bacterial feeding nematodes reduced the number of bacteria but did not reduce the soil respiration rate. A significant correlation was obtained between the numbers of nematodes and the respiration rate of the microcosms, which is interpreted as an increased bacterial production rate due to the presence of bacterial-feeding animals.}},
  author       = {{Bååth, Erland and Lohm, U., and Lundgren, B. and Rosswall, T., and Söderström, Bengt and Sohlenius, B.,}},
  issn         = {{1600-0706}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{3}},
  pages        = {{257--264}},
  publisher    = {{Wiley-Blackwell}},
  series       = {{Oikos}},
  title        = {{Impact of microbial-feeding animals on total soil activity and nitrogen dynamics - a soil microcosm experiment}},
  url          = {{http://www.jstor.org/stable/3544116}},
  volume       = {{37}},
  year         = {{1981}},
}