外源腐解微生物的物种组合对土壤微生物群落结构及代谢活性的影响

本文采用饲料类芽孢杆菌(Paenibacillus pabuli,P)、深红紫链霉菌(Streptomyces violaceorubidus,S)和黄绿木霉(Trichoderma aureoviride,T),组合构建了3种单菌剂(P、S和T)、3种两菌种复合菌剂(PT、PS和ST)及1种3菌种复合菌剂(PST),并将之添加到红壤中,监测各菌剂添加后土壤总磷脂脂肪酸(PLFAs)量、特征微生物PLFAs百分含量、土壤呼吸速率及总代谢熵的变化,旨在探明外源腐解微生物的物种组合对土壤微生物群落结构和代谢活性的影响,进而为优化有机物分解菌剂种群配置提供参考。结果显示,添加单菌剂的P、S和T处理及添加两菌种复合菌剂的PT和PS处理,土壤微生物生物量显著增加,增幅17.2%~121.6%(P0.05)。添加外源腐解微生物后,各处理的土壤微生物群落的细菌百分含量基本稳定在79.6%~83.1%,真菌百分含量显著增加8.8%~50.6%;而放线菌百分含量除P和ST处理外,其他处理显著降低9.4%~69.8%。PLFAs数据的主成分分析表明,各外源菌剂处理与CK处理间的群落结构变异由小到大依次为:接种单菌剂的P、S和T处理,接种两菌种复合菌剂的PT、PS和ST处理,接种3菌种复合菌剂的PST处理。添加单菌剂的P、T处理以及添加两菌种复合菌剂的ST处理,在短期内影响了土壤微生物的对数生长,使土壤呼吸速率的峰值分别提高48.7%、53.7%和78.7%;且外源腐解微生物组合的物种数量越多,土壤微生物进入潜伏期所需的时间越长。从外源腐解微生物对土壤肥力的长期影响来看,两菌种复合菌剂ST的添加使土壤微生物代谢活性提高28.9%,因此该处理的土壤碳矿化量增加11.1%;添加单菌剂的S处理使土壤微生物代谢活性显著降低32.4%,因此该处理的土壤碳矿化量仅降低7.3%;而添加两菌种复合菌剂的PS处理和3菌种复合菌剂的PST处理,在保持代谢活性不变的情况下,其土壤碳矿化量也降低5.8%~8.7%,其原因有待进一步研究。综上所述,外源腐解微生物的添加会改变土壤微生物的群落结构及其生长轨迹,且随外源腐解微生物组合的物种数量增多这一干扰程度越大,而土壤微生物代谢活性与外源腐解微生物组合的物种数量无显著相关性。     

种植方式对玉米不同生长期土壤微生物群落功能多样性的影响

为探讨玉米不同种植方式下土壤微生物群落功能多样性的差异,进行田间定点试验,采用Biolog方法分别研究了4行轮作、4行连作、8行轮作和8行连作的种植方式对玉米种植前、拔节期、抽穗期和收获期土壤微生物功能多样性的影响。结果表明:4种种植方式的土壤微生物均在种植前代谢活性最弱、功能多样性最低,在玉米抽穗期土壤微生物代谢活性最强,功能多样性最高。在种植玉米前,轮作的土壤微生物代谢活性和功能多样性高于连作,8行轮作和4行轮作土壤微生物的物种多样性指数分别比相应的连作高22.93%和11.42%;4行轮作的土壤微生物物种多样性指数比8行轮作低3.17%,而4行连作比8行连作高6.83%。在玉米拔节期、抽穗期及收获期连作土壤微生物功能多样性略高于轮作,且有4行连作大于8行连作的趋势,但差异均未达显著水平。种植前,4种种植模式的土壤微生物对6大类碳源的利用程度整体上都较低,降解碳水化合物类、羧酸类和聚合物类碳源的微生物是种植方式影响的主要土壤微生物类群;随着玉米的生长,土壤微生物对6大类碳源的利用都逐渐增强,玉米拔节期、抽穗期和收获期之间土壤微生物特征碳源没有较大差异,4种种植方式的土壤微生物对聚合物类碳源利用程度差异都不显著。PLS-EDA分析结果表明种植方式对土壤微生物产生较大影响,种植前8行轮作和4行连作的土壤微生物碳源利用模式具有相似性;种植玉米后4种种植方式的土壤微生物对碳源的利用模式存在较大差异,其中4行连作的土壤微生物在玉米拔节期和收获期对碳源的利用模式与其他3种种植方式差异最大。试验说明作物长期连作栽培会影响土壤微生物群落功能,降低土壤微生物物种多样性,引起土壤微生物群落结构与功能的失调。     

Lowered water table causes species substitution while nitrogen amendment causes species loss in alpine wetland microbial communities

Alpine wetlands are hotspots of carbon (C) storage and methane emission, and they could be key contributors to global warming. In recent years, rapid warming has lowered the water table in alpine wetlands on the Tibetan Plateau, concurrent with intensified nitrogen (N) deposition via anthropogenic activities. We carried out a field experiment to investigate the ecological impacts of these two factors on soil bacterial and functional communities, which are essential drivers of greenhouse gas emissions. Nitrogen amendment alone decreased the phylogenetic alpha-diversity of bacterial communities which could be offset by lowered water table. In contrast, microbial functional alpha-diversity, revealed by a high-throughput microarray, remained unchanged. Both bacterial and functional beta-diversity responded to lowered water table, but only bacterial community responded to N amendment. The alpha-Proteobacteria, beta-Proteobacteria, and Bacteroidetes were the major responsive bacterial lineages, and C degradation, methanogenesis, alkaline shock, and phosphorus oxidation were the major responsive functional processes. Partitioning analysis revealed that N amendment changed bacterial community structure mainly via species loss processes but did not affect bacterial functional communities, with soil pH and ammonium as the key factors influencing changes in bacterial community structure. Conversely, lowered water table altered bacterial and functional communities through species substitution processes linked to soil pH and soil moisture. According to our results, the response mechanisms of microbial communities to lowered water table and N amendment are fundamentally different in alpine wetlands.     

Functional diversity of soil organisms — a review of recent research activities in Germany

The aim of this review is to provide an overview of recent investigations on the functional diversity of soil organisms and to elucidate whether a combination of different phenotypic and genotypic assessment methods can give new insights into the relation of structural (phylogenetic) and functional diversity of soil microbial and faunal communities. The knowledge of functional gene sequences for the major microbial transformations enables studies of their presence and diversity in soils. The concomitant evaluation of phylogenetic identification and functional activity of even individual microbial cells in situ is now possible using such as fluorescence in situ hybridization and microautoradiography. Studies about microbial‐faunal interactions clarifies the importance of soil organisms for soil processes.     

生物复混肥对土壤微生物群落功能多样性和微生物量的影响

在温室盆栽条件下,采用Biolog微平板法和氯仿熏蒸浸提法,研究了玉米施用等养分量的无机肥、有机无机复混肥和生物复混肥后土壤微生物群落功能多样性及土壤微生物量的变化。结果表明:生物复混肥处理的土壤微生物平均颜色变化率(AWCD)、微生物群落Shannon指数(H)和微生物群落丰富度指数(S)均最高;施用生物复混肥可明显提高土壤微生物对碳源的利用率,尤其是多酚化合物类和糖类;不同处理土壤微生物碳源利用特征有一定差异,生物复混肥在第1主成分上的得分值为正值,其他各处理在第1主成分上的得分值基本上为负值,起分异作用的主要碳源是糖类和羧酸类。在玉米生长期间各处理土壤微生物量大致呈先升高后逐渐平稳的趋势,且土壤微生物量碳、氮、磷的含量均以生物复混肥处理最高,最高值分别为333.21mg.kg 1、53.02 mg.kg 1和22.20 mg.kg 1。研究表明,生物复混肥的施用比等养分量的有机无机复混肥处理能显著提高土壤微生物群落碳源利用率、微生物群落丰富度和功能多样性,显著增加土壤微生物量碳、氮、磷的含量,有利于维持良好的土壤微生态环境。     

Do long-lived ants affect soil microbial communities?

This study was designed to test the hypothesis that desert ant species that build nests that remain viable at a particular point in space for more than a decade produce soil conditions that enhance microbial biomass and functional diversity. We studied the effects of a seed-harvester ant, Pogonomyrmex rugosus, and two generalist ant species, Aphaenogaster cockerelli and Myrmecocystus depilis, on soil microbial communities. Microbial biomass was higher in P. rugosus-modified soils than in reference soils when soil water content was higher than 3%. Microbial biomass was either higher in reference soils or exhibited no difference in reference soils and nest-modified soils of A. cockerelli and M. depilis. There were differences in microbial functional diversity and microbial community level physiological profiles (MicroResp method) between ant-nest-modified and reference soils of the three ant species on some sampling dates. Temporal patterns of soil microbial communities associated with the ant species resulted from differences in soil moisture, density, and species composition of the annual plant communities associated with the ant nests and in reference areas. Differences in annual plant communities associated with ant nests and surrounding areas resulted in different chemical inputs into the soil organic-matter pools. This study shows that generalizations about the effects of long-lived ant nests on soil biota in arid regions must consider feeding behaviors of the ant species and temporal patterns of rainfall.     

13C标记磷脂脂肪酸分析在土壤微生物生态 研究中的应用

磷脂脂肪酸(PLFA)是微生物细胞膜的重要组成成分,不同微生物群落可通过不同生化途径合成不同的PLFA,因此可选择某些PLFA作为微生物群落结构变化的生物标志物。PLFA与稳定性同位素~(13)C标记(~(13)C-PLFA)技术结合,不仅能够确定原位土壤环境中微生物群落组成,而且能够定向发掘土壤生态系统中参与碳源代谢过程的微生物群落,提供复杂群落中土壤微生物相互作用的信息,具有广阔的应用前景。其基本原理为:将富集~(13)C稳定同位素的基质加入土壤中,土壤中的某些微生物群落利用基质~(13)C合成PLFA,提取并纯化土壤微生物的PLFA,利用气相色谱-燃烧-同位素比例质谱(GC-C-IRMS)测定其~(13)C丰度,通过对比分析,从而获取微生物群落组成与其功能的直接信息。本文在介绍了~(13)C-PLFA原理的基础上,综述了该技术在光合同化碳的根际微生物利用、土壤有机质分解的激发效应、甲烷氧化、有机污染物降解、外源简单碳源和外源复杂碳源的微生物利用等方面的应用,对此项技术的优缺点进行了分析并展望了其未来应用。     

土壤质量生物学指标研究进展

本文对近年土壤微生物、土壤酶活性和土壤动物等土壤质量生物学指标研究成果进行了综合评述。土壤微生物是土壤有机组分和生态系统中最活跃的部分,被认为是最敏感的土壤质量生物学指标:微生物生物量代表参与调控土壤中能量和养分循环及有机物质转化所对应微生物的数量,但须结合多样性研究以弥补其无法反映土壤微生物组成和区系变化的缺陷;微生物群落组成和多样性动态反映土壤中生物类群的多变性和土壤质量在微生物数量和功能上的差异;土壤微生物活性体现在土壤微生物商、微生物呼吸和代谢商等方面,应考虑生物量大小与微生物种群活性间的相关关系以反映微生物种群内的差异。土壤酶活性具有极高时效性,在较短时间内就能反映出土壤质量的变化。土壤动物通常以种类的组成和数量,土壤动物区系的相对丰度、多样性或活性作为评价土壤生物质量的敏感指标。与土壤理化指标相比,土壤生物学指标更能对土壤质量的变化做出灵敏迅速的响应,因而被广泛地用于评价土壤质量。     

Niche partitioning based on soil type and climate at the landscape scale in a community of plant-feeding nematodes

Understanding how environmental factors structure communities is important in conservation biology and ecosystem management. The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that a plant-feeding nematode community composed of six species is structured by soil type and climate at the landscape scale, and that niche partitioning via these factors is consistent with the coexistence of the species. Martinique has an impressive diversity of abiotic factors (climate and soil type) over a relatively small land area, which facilitates the study of how soil type and climate affect the nematode community.We conducted this study by building an extensive data set containing the abundance of each nematode species on banana (3708 samples and 5,673,705 nematodes) in a wide range of sites in Martinique. The data set also contained environmental data (soil, climate) and plantation age. We analyzed the response of each nematode species to climate and soil type with a generalized linear model in order to understand whether niche partitioning of factors could contribute to the coexistence of the nematode species.Temperature, rainfall, soil type, and plantation age significantly affected the abundance of the six nematode species. While some pairs of species shared the same environmental niches, other showed clear niche partitioning along climatic axes. The two dominant species, Radopholus similis and Helicotylenchus multicinctus, have similar convergent ecological niches regarding climate, soil type, plantation age, and host range. These two species, which often co-occur, probably have different resources at the root scale. Soil type and climate structure plant-feeding nematode species community at the island scale. Further studies need to evaluate coexistence at the root scale among dominant species.     

Structural and functional diversity of soil bacterial and fungal communities following woody plant encroachment in the southern Great Plains

In the southern Great Plains (USA), encroachment of grassland ecosystems by Prosopis glandulosa (honey mesquite) is widespread. Mesquite encroachment alters net primary productivity, enhances stores of C and N in plants and soil, and leads to increased levels of soil microbial biomass and activity. While mesquite’s impact on the biogeochemistry of the region is well established, it effects on soil microbial diversity and function are unknown. In this study, soils associated with four plant types (C₃ perennial grasses, C₄ midgrasses, C₄ shortgrasses, and mesquite) from a mesquite-encroached mixed grass prairie were surveyed to in an attempt to characterize the structure, diversity, and functional capacity of their soil microbial communities. rRNA gene cloning and sequencing were used in conjunction with the GeoChip functional gene array to evaluate these potential differences. Mesquite soil supported increased bacterial and fungal diversity and harbored a distinct fungal community relative to other plant types. Despite differences in composition and diversity, few significant differences were detected with respect to the potential functional capacity of the soil microbial communities. These results may suggest that a high level of functional redundancy exists within the bacterial portion of the soil communities; however, given the bias of the GeoChip toward bacterial functional genes, potential functional differences among soil fungi could not be addressed. The results of this study illustrate the linkages shared between above- and belowground communities and demonstrate that soil microbial communities, and in particular soil fungi, may be altered by the process of woody plant encroachment.     

Microbial diversity and soil functions

Soil is a complex and dynamic biological system, and still in 2003 it is difficult to determine the composition of microbial communities in soil. We are also limited in the determination of microbially mediated reactions because present assays for determining the overall rate of entire metabolic processes (such as respiration) or specific enzyme activities (such as urease, protease and phosphomonoesterase activity) do not allow any identification of the microbial species directly involved in the measured processes. The central problem posed by the link between microbial diversity and soil function is to understand the relations between genetic diversity and community structure and between community structure and function. A better understanding of the relations between microbial diversity and soil functions requires not only the use of more accurate assays for taxonomically and functionally characterizing DNA and RNA extracted from soil, but also high‐resolution techniques with which to detect inactive and active microbial cells in the soil matrix. Soil seems to be characterized by a redundancy of functions; for example, no relationship has been shown to exist between microbial diversity and decomposition of organic matter. Generally, a reduction in any group of species has little effect on overall processes in soil because other microorganisms can take on its function. The determination of the composition of microbial communities in soil is not necessary for a better quantification of nutrient transformations. The holistic approach, based on the division of the systems in pools and the measurement of fluxes linking these pools, is the most efficient. The determination of microbial C, N, P and S contents by fumigation techniques has allowed a better quantification of nutrient dynamics in soil. However, further advances require determining new pools, such as active microbial biomass, also with molecular techniques. Recently investigators have separated ¹³C‐ and ¹²C‐DNA, both extracted from soil treated with a ¹³C source, by density‐gradient centrifugation. This technique should allow us to calculate the active microbial C pool by multiplying the ratio between labelled and total DNA by the microbial biomass C content of soil. In addition, the taxonomic and functional characterization of ¹³C‐DNA allows us to understand more precisely the changes in the composition of microbial communities affected by the C‐substrate added to soil.     

Functional diversity of microbial communities in the mixed boreal plain forest of central Canada

This study was designed to examine whether or not specific tree species (Picea glauca, Picea mariana, Pinus banksiana, Populus tremuloides), their post-fire stand age, or their position in a successional pathway had any significant effect on the functional diversity of associated soil microbial communities in a typical mixed boreal forest ecosystem (Duck Mountain Provincial Forest, Manitoba, Canada). Multivariate analyses designed to identify significant biotic and/or abiotic variables associated with patterns of organic substrate utilization (assessed using the BIOLOG™ System) revealed the overall similarity in substrate utilization by the soil microbial communities. The five clusters identified differed mainly by their substrate-utilization value rather than by specific substrate utilization. Variability in community functional diversity was not strongly associated to tree species or post-fire stand age; however, redundancy analysis indicated a stronger association between substrate utilization and successional pathway and soil pH. For example, microbial communities associated with the relatively high pH soils of the P. tremuloides-P. glauca successional pathway, exhibited a greater degree of substrate utilization than those associated with the P. banksiana-P. mariana successional pathway and more acidic soils. Differences in functional diversity specific to tree species were not observed and this may have reflected the mixed nature of the forest stands and of their heterogeneous forest floor. In a densely treed, mixed boreal forest ecosystem, great overlap in tree and understory species occur making it difficult to assign a definitive microbial community to any particular tree species. The presence of P. tremuloides in all stand types and post fire stand ages has probably contributed to the large amount of overlap in utilization profiles among soil samples.     

Microbial community development and unseen diversity recovery in inoculated sterile soil

Soil is considered as one of the most biodiverse environments on Earth; yet, the taxonomy, occurrence, and role of its different microbial populations are largely unknown. Here, two sterilized soils (from England and Italy) were inoculated with a subsample of their initial microbial communities and/or those from the other soil to study their microbial community evolution. This approach compared two driving factors (original community and soil physico-chemical characteristics) for microbial community definition. After 2 months of incubation and based on metagenomic datasets, the two inoculated communities (from an English grassland and an Italian forest) possessed similar functional and taxonomical structures when inoculated in the same sterile soil. For example, the newly colonized Italian soil was dominated by Actinobacteria related organisms (>66 % of the detected community) with a functional distribution independent of the inoculated soil origin. In addition, some of the organisms that dominated the different inoculated communities after 2 months were similar for a given sterile soil whether they came from the English grassland or the Italian forest, and they had not been detected in the original microbial community from either soil. Thus, similar microorganisms with low representation from the two distinct communities emerged in each sterilized soil, thus increasing the microbial diversity recovered from the microbial community of the donor soil. So far, these observations support the idea that different temperate soil microbial communities have different evenness due to environmental physico-chemical variations, yet have similar community composition (richness), and thus develop similarly when colonizing the same habitat.     

Relationships between woodlice (Isopoda: Oniscidea) and microbial density and activity in the field

 Field studies on microbial populations and their activity in soil and litter layers of different sites revealed statistically significant correlations with climatic factors, soil characteristics and the number of terrestrial isopods (Isopoda: Oniscidea). The number of captured Porcellio scaber was negatively correlated with the density of soil microbiota, but positively correlated with both respiration and cellulolytic activity of litter-colonizing microorganisms. By contrast, the number of Oniscus asellus was positively correlated with soil microbial density and respiration, and cellulolytic and respiratory activity of the litter. These interspecific differences were unexpected between species that frequently occur sympatrically, and, thus, probably have similar ecological requirements. Hence, the results suggested species-specific interactions of these species with soil and litter-colonizing microbiota. However, further field studies are required to prove this. Received: 16 December 1998     

沙漠腹地人工绿地土壤微生物变异与土壤环境因子关系的研究

通过野外采样与室内分析,研究了不同定植年限下塔里木沙漠公路防护林人工绿地土壤微生物的变异规律及其与土壤物理和化学因子间的关系。结果表明:随林龄的增加,土壤微生物数量明显增加,土壤养分含量有所提高,土壤肥力状况明显改善;在土壤微生物的区系组成中,细菌为优势种,占微生物总数的80%以上,放线菌次之,而真菌最少,不到微生物总数的0.1%;土壤微生物数量受土壤环境因子的影响,其中土壤容重、总孔隙度、含水量、有机质和全氮、全磷、全钾及速效氮、速效磷、速效钾含量与细菌、放线菌和真菌的数量均存在极显著相关关系;防护林建设后土壤颗粒逐渐细化。说明防护林的定植促进了咸水灌溉条件下风沙土的发育,土壤质量提高,利于植物的生长,塔里木沙漠公路防护林防风固沙效益明显。     

Effects of tree identity dominate over tree diversity on the soil microbial community structure

This study investigated the possible effects of tree species diversity and identity on the soil microbial community in a species-rich temperate broad-leaved forest. For the first time, we separated the effects of tree identity and tree species diversity on the link between above and belowground communities in a near-natural forest. We established 100 tree clusters consisting of each three tree individuals represented by beech (Fagus sylvatica L.), ash (Fraxinus excelsior L.), hornbeam (Carpinus betulus L.), maple (Acer pseudoplatanus L.), or lime (Tilia spec.) at two different sites in the Hainich National Park (Thuringia, Germany). The tree clusters included one, two or three species forming a diversity gradient. We investigated the microbial community structure, using phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) profiles, in mineral soil samples (0–10 cm) collected in the centre of each cluster.The lowest total PLFA amounts were found in the pure beech clusters (79.0 ± 23.5 nmol g⁻¹ soil dw), the highest PLFA amounts existed in the pure ash clusters (287.3 ± 211.3 nmol g⁻¹ soil dw). Using principle components analyses (PCA) and redundancy analyses (RDA), we found only for the variables ‘relative proportion of beech trees’ and ‘living lime fine root tips associated with ectomycorrhiza’ a significant effect on the PLFA composition. The microbial community structure was mainly determined by abiotic environmental parameters such as soil pH or clay content. The different species richness levels in the clusters did not significantly differ in their total PLFA amounts and their PLFA composition. We observed a tendency that the PLFA profiles of the microbial communities in more tree species-rich clusters were less influenced by individual PLFAs (more homogenous) than those from species-poor clusters.We concluded that tree species identity and site conditions were more important factors determining the soil microbial community structure than tree species diversity per se.     

Hydrocarbon degradation potential and activity of endophytic bacteria associated with prairie plants

Phytoremediation systems for organic compounds such as petroleum hydrocarbons rely on a synergistic relationship between plants and their root-associated microbial communities. To determine the probable role of endophytic bacterial communities in these systems, this study examined both rhizosphere and endophytic communities of five different plant species at a long-term phytoremediation field site. Hydrocarbon degradation potential and activity were assessed using MPN assays, PCR analysis of catabolic genes associated with hydrocarbon degradation, and mineralization assays with C-14 labeled hydrocarbons. Microbial community structure in each niche was assessed by DGGE analysis of 16S rRNA gene fragments and subsequent band sequencing. Both endophytic degrader populations and endophytic degrader activity showed substantial inter-species variation, largely independent of that shown by the respective rhizosphere populations. Endophytic hydrocarbon degradation was linked to dominant bacterial endophytes. Pseudomonas spp. dominated endophytic communities exhibited increased alkane hydrocarbon degradation potential and activity, while Brevundimonas and Pseudomonas rhodesiae dominated endophytic communities were associated with increased PAH degradation potential and activity. In one plant species, Lolium perenne, increased endophytic alkane hydrocarbon degradation was associated with increased rhizosphere alkane degradation and decreased rhizosphere PAH degradation. Our results show that diverse plant species growing in weathered-hydrocarbon contaminated soil maintain distinct, heterogeneously distributed endophytic microbial populations, which may impact upon the ability of plants to promote the degradation of specific types of hydrocarbons.     

Spatial and taxonomic correlates of species and species trait assemblages in soil invertebrate communities

Whether dispersal limitation and phylogenetic conservatism influence soil species assemblages is still a debated question. We hypothesized that spatial and phylogenetic patterns influence communities in a hump-backed fashion, maximizing their impact at intermediate spatial and phylogenetic distances. Species–environment relationships are blurred by dispersal limitation and restricted habitat choice at long and short spatial distances, respectively (Hypothesis 1). Co-occurrence of species/traits is limited by divergent evolution of species/traits and competitive exclusion at long and short phylogenetic distances, respectively (Hypothesis 2). Springtails were sampled over a wide array of environmental gradients, between-sample distance varying from a few cm to several km. We compared communities using species composition, habitat features, and geo-localization. We compared species using co-occurrence, habitat preference, traits and phylogeny. Mantel tests identified which factors contributed the best to species/traits assemblages. Within the studied area, species composition was influenced by habitat more than space. Traits displayed a strong phylogenetic signal, but they contributed less than habitat preferences to species co-occurrence. Species–environment relationships were better displayed within a 200 m distance, supporting Hypothesis 1. Occurrence-habitat preference relationships were better displayed at family level, supporting Hypothesis 2.     

Total microbial biomass and metabolic state of microorganisms in a typical chernozem of Moldova

New data on the total microbial biomass and its metabolic state in a typical chernozem of Moldova were obtained. The carbon content of the microbial biomass in the arable chernozems varied from 419 to 1033 μg/g soil and from 1002 to 1432 μg C/g soil under the shelterbelts. The contents of the microbial biomass under the shelter belts was by 2.1–2.9, 1.6–2.2, and 1.2–1.3 times higher than that in the unfertilized and fertilized with mineral and organic nutrients chernozems, respectively. Crop rotations with and without lucerne were examined. The functional activity of the microbial communities in the chernozem was determined by their metabolic diversity, the ability to use alternative metabolic reactions, and the domination of r-strategists. The content of the active part of the microbial community in the natural ecosystems constituted approximately 1/3 (29.1% on the average) of the total microbial community; in the arable soils, it as lower (9.8–21.8%).