保护性耕作对土壤微生物特性及酶活性的影响

大田试验研究了保护性耕作对土壤微生物量、活跃微生物量、土壤呼吸、呼吸商、土壤酶的影响。结果表明,秸秆还田能够显著提高土壤微生物量碳和活跃微生物量,深松耕还田能显著提高土壤活跃微生物量。随耕作作业之后时间的推迟,活跃生物量减小。秸秆还田初期（小麦越冬期）能显著提高土壤呼吸作用,提高99．7％;后期（小麦播种期）能显著降低土壤呼吸,降低16．6％。随耕作作业之后时间的推迟,秸秆还田和保护性耕作都会减少农田向大气中CO2的排放,减少土壤碳库的亏损。深松耕还田显著提高土壤脲酶、蔗糖酶活性。土壤呼吸和土壤活跃微生物量是衡量土壤微生物特性和土壤酶的较好指标。     

保护性耕作对坡耕地土壤微生物量碳、氮的影响

利用长期定位试验(1999年开始保护性耕作,2004年采样测定),研究了豫西旱区坡耕地不同保护耕作对土壤有机碳、全氮和微生物量碳(SMB-C)、微生物量氮(SMB-N)的影响.结果表明:深松覆盖和免耕覆盖耕层有机碳、全氮较传统耕作均有增加,其中深松覆盖耕作下有机碳含量最高,为6.79 g/kg,比传统耕作增加了13.82%;免耕土壤全氮含量最高为0.797 g/kg,比传统耕作增加了10.42%;土壤有机碳、全氮随着土层的加深逐渐降低;长期保护性耕作(免耕、深松)显著增加了土壤微生物碳、氮含量,0～20 cm免耕和深松的土壤SMB-C、SMB-N含量分别较传统耕作增加79.3%,19.9%和17.92%,8.13%.长期耕作导致坡耕地土壤微生物碳、氮具有不同程度的坡下富集现象.土壤SMB-C与全氮、SMB-N呈显著正相关.由于微生物量C、N可作为评价土壤质量的生物学指标,因此可以认为,长期保护性耕作(免耕和深松)可以提高豫西旱区坡耕地土壤质量,增加土壤肥力.     

保护性耕作对土壤团聚体、微生物及线虫群落的影响研究进展

保护性耕作具有良好的生态效益,有利于农业生态系统的可持续发展.本文对比分析了国内外有关常规耕作和保护性耕作措施对土壤团聚体、土壤有机碳、土壤微生物及土壤线虫影响的研究进展.结果表明:保护性耕作减少土壤大团聚体的破坏,降低团聚体周转速率,提高土壤结构的稳定性;保护性耕作提高表层土壤总有机碳及活性有机碳含量;保护性耕作可以...     

不同耕作方式下黑土微生物群落对干湿交替的响应

以吉林德惠市黑土长期田间定位实验地土壤为研究对象,通过室内模拟培养,采用高通量测序方法(16S rRNA)研究免耕和垄作土壤微生物群落对不同频率和强度的干湿交替处理的响应。结果表明:干湿交替显著降低免耕土壤中微生物群落的多样性,且频率越高干旱强度越大多样性降低越显著;但干湿交替对垄作土壤的微生物多样性影响不显著。与对照相比,干湿交替显著增加免耕土壤中浮霉菌门(Planctomycetes)和疣微菌门(Verrucomicrobia)的相对丰度,显著降低免耕和垄作土壤中Saccharibacteria菌门和Parcubacteria菌门的相对丰度。无论是免耕还是垄作条件下,干湿交替频率的不同导致土壤微生物群落结构产生显著差异,而干湿交替强度的不同对土壤微生物群落结构没有显著影响。研究结果为预测干旱气候对黑土生态功能的影响提供了理论基础。     

寒地黑土区宜实施保护性耕作

在分析寒地黑土区农业生态环境存在问题基础上,介绍了保护性耕作技术的内涵及其在国内外的发展概况,揭示了保护性耕作的增产原理,论证了寒地黑土区实施保护性耕作的科学性。     

保护性耕作对麦-豆轮作土壤有机碳全氮及微生物量碳氮的影响

通过设置在甘肃省定西市李家堡镇的保护性耕作措施长期定位试验,共设4个处理（T：传统耕作;NT：免耕无覆盖;TS：传统耕作＋秸秆还田;NTS：免耕＋秸秆覆盖）,采用春小麦豌豆双序列轮作（即小麦→豌豆→小麦和豌豆→小麦→豌豆,本文中所指春小麦地、豌豆地分别指2008年种植春小麦、豌豆的轮作次序）,于2008年3月中旬对春小麦、豌豆双序列轮作下的土壤有机碳、全氮、土壤微生物量碳及土壤微生物量氮含量进行了采样测定。结果表明,经过7a的轮作后,两种轮作次序下,0-30cm土层中土壤有机碳、全氮、土壤微生物量碳、土壤微生物量氮含量均有在免耕＋秸秆覆盖、传统耕作＋秸秆还田处理较免耕不覆盖、传统耕作处理高的趋势,且其含量均随着土壤深度的增加而降低。其中,土壤微生物量碳含量在两种轮作次序下的排序均为：免耕＋秸秆覆盖（NTS）〉传统耕作＋秸秆还田（TS）〉免耕不覆盖（NT）〉传统耕作（T）;而土壤微生物量氮含量在春小麦地和豌豆地的排序则分别表现为：免耕＋秸秆覆盖（NTS）〉传统耕作＋秸秆还田（TS）〉传统耕作（T）〉免耕不覆盖（NT）和免耕＋秸秆覆盖（NTS）〉传统耕作＋秸秆还田（TS）〉免耕不覆盖（NT）〉传统耕作（T）。同时,微生物量碳、微生物量氮与有机碳和全氮均呈显著正相关,说明提高土壤有机质、全氮含量的保护性耕作模式有利于土壤微生物量碳与氮的积累。     

保护性耕作对黑土不同土层土壤固氮菌丰度和群落结构的影响

东北黑土由于近几十年持续性高强度的利用,已经出现肥力下降等问题。保护性耕作是防止土壤退化的有效措施,可影响土壤微生物的丰度和多样性,然而保护性耕作对东北黑土固氮菌群落结构的影响仍不清楚。本研究利用15年免耕和传统耕作试验,采用高通量测序方法,探讨东北地区免耕和传统耕作条件下0～5 cm和5～20 cm两个土壤深度的固氮菌群落的丰度、多样性和组成的差异,以及与土壤理化性质的相关关系。研究结果表明,免耕和传统耕作下土壤固氮菌在门水平上变形菌门相对丰度最大;属水平上慢生根瘤菌属的相对丰度最大。耕作方式、土壤深度对nifH基因拷贝数、Chao 1和Shannon指数均无显著影响,PCA分析表明,免耕和传统耕作显著影响土壤固氮菌群落的组成,土壤容重与PC1显著相关。Mantel test检验表明,固氮菌群落与土壤容重显著相关。本研究结果表明免耕通过影响土壤容重改变了土壤固氮菌的群落组成。本研究加深了保护性耕作对土壤固氮菌群落影响的理解,为东北黑土区保护性耕作的应用提供了理论依据。     

两种施肥处理下不同有机质含量农田黑土微生物群落结构PLFA分析

土壤有机质含量和施肥是影响黑土微生物群落结构的重要因素,但是受气候影响,很难单独明确有机质含量或施肥对土壤微生物群落的影响.本研究利用黑土生产力长期定位试验,将有机质含量不同的5个黑土(SOM1.7、SOM3、SOM5、SOM6、SOM11)置于相同气候条件下,通过分析磷脂脂肪酸,系统地研究了施肥与有机质含量对农田黑土...     

秸秆还田和保护性耕作对砂姜黑土有机质和氮素养分的影响

通过田间试验,分别采集小麦成熟期、玉米成熟期和小麦播种期耕层土样,研究不同的秸秆还田方式(秸秆还田、焚烧还田和火粪还田)与保护性耕作(减耕和免耕)对砂姜黑土有机质和氮素养分的影响,以期得到培肥砂姜黑土的最佳方式。结果表明:作物秸秆还田可以增加砂姜黑土有机质和全氮的含量,但是对速效氮含量影响不大。在不同的秸秆还田和保护性耕作处理中,秸秆火粪还田和免耕条件下的秸秆还田对砂姜黑土有机质和全氮含量的增加效果最为明显。与对照相比,秸秆火粪还田后土壤有机质和全氮含量分别平均提高4.45 g/kg和0.131 g/kg;免耕条件下的秸秆还田其土壤有机质和全氮含量分别平均提高3.36 g/kg和0.095 g/kg;减耕条件下的秸秆还田和秸秆粉碎还田对增加砂姜黑土有机质和全氮含量的效果不显著;秸秆焚烧不能增加砂姜黑土有机质和全氮的含量。秸秆还田和保护性耕作不会大幅度提高砂姜黑土C/N进而影响土壤氮素养分的供应,同时秸秆还田能有效提高土壤微生物量碳氮,但微生物量的碳氮比却保持在适宜的范围内。     

地膜覆盖对土壤微生物群落结构的影响

采用磷脂脂肪酸(PLFA)法测定了沈阳农业大学棕壤长期定位试验站地膜覆盖条件下土壤微生物磷脂脂肪酸图谱及群落结构。结果表明:在玉米苗期,长期施氮肥处理土壤覆膜后大部分脂肪酸含量都有所提高;施有机肥处理的土壤覆膜后脂肪酸的含量有降低的趋势;有机无机肥配合施用处理的土壤覆膜会增加真菌的含量,但却降低了其他脂肪酸的含量;在不施肥处理的土壤中,覆膜会使一些支链脂肪酸的含量降低。抽雄期,施有机肥的土壤覆膜后除单饱和脂肪酸含量有所下降外,其他脂肪酸都会提高;不施肥土壤覆膜处理双不饱和支链脂肪酸及放线菌标志性脂肪酸10Me18:0的含量会有所提高。成熟期,施氮肥的土壤覆膜处理大部分脂肪酸的含量降低;有机肥处理土壤中各种脂肪酸如:15∶0,a17∶0,i17∶0,i19∶0,18∶0,10Me18∶0含量覆膜高于裸地;有机无机配施处理土壤中17∶0,br17∶0,18∶0,18∶2w6,10Me18∶0含量覆膜处理高于裸地;对照土壤中i15∶0,16∶0,17∶0,a17∶0,18∶0,18∶2w6,19∶0含量覆膜高于裸地。另外,从脂肪酸的变化看出,覆膜处理土壤微生物群落整体结构发生了改变,没有表现出明显的种群优势。但是,尽管土壤的施肥处理不同,覆膜处理土壤微生物群落结构有一致化发展的趋势。     

Soil microbial dynamics in maize-growing soil under different tillage and residue management systems

The long-term impact of tillage and residue management on soil microorganisms was studied over the growing season in a sandy loam to loamy sand soil of southwestern Quebec, growing maize (Zea mays L.) monoculture. Tillage and residue treatments were first imposed on plots in fall 1991. Treatments consisted of no till, reduced tillage, and conventional tillage with crop residues either removed from (−R) or retained on (+R) experimental plots, laid out in a randomized complete block design. Soil microbial biomass carbon (SMB-C), soil microbial biomass nitrogen (SMB-N) and phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) contents were measured four times, at two depths (0-10 and 10-20 cm), over the 2001 growing season. Sample times were: May 7 (preplanting), June 25, July 16, and September 29 (prior to corn harvest). The effect of time was of a greater magnitude than those attributed to tillage or residue treatments. While SMB-C showed little seasonal change (160 μg C g⁻¹ soil), SMB-N was responsive to post-emergence mineral nitrogen fertilization, and PLFA analysis showed an increase in fungi and total PLFA throughout the season. PLFA profiles showed better distinction between sampling time and depth, than between treatments. The effect of residue was more pronounced than that of tillage, with increased SMB-C and SMB-N (61 and 96%) in +R plots compared to −R plots. This study illustrated that measuring soil quality based on soil microbial components must take into account seasonal changes in soil physical and chemical conditions.     

黑土环境中乙草胺的微生物降解特征研究

通过室内恒温(25℃)避光培养试验,研究了黑土环境中乙草胺的微生物降解特征。在适宜水分条件下,将土壤样品分别进行常规、灭菌、选择性抑菌剂加入等处理后培养并测定土壤乙草胺含量和土壤微生物量。结果显示:在灭菌土壤中乙草胺的残留量较未灭菌土壤显著增加,未灭菌土壤中乙草胺残留数量与微生物量变化密切相关,表明微生物活性是影响乙草胺降解的主要因素。适当的水分有益于土壤中微生物生长,从而促进了土壤中乙草胺的降解。加入青链霉素后乙草胺残留量远大于放线菌酮和常规培养,表明细菌比真菌具有更强的降解乙草胺的能力。随着乙草胺的施药量增加,初期微生物量显著降低,是导致乙草胺总降解率下降的主要原因。     

Labile carbon and methane uptake as affected by tillage intensity in a Mollisol

Methane (CH₄) oxidation potential of soils decreases with cultivation, but limited information is available regarding the restoration of that capacity with implementation of reduced tillage practices. A study was conducted to assess the impact of tillage intensity on CH₄ oxidation and several C-cycling indices including total and active microbial biomass C (t-MBC, a-MBC), mineralizable C (C_min) and N (N_min), and aggregate-protected C. Intact cores and disturbed soil samples (0–5 and 5–15 cm) were collected from a corn (Zea mays L.)–soybean (Glycine max L. Merr.) rotation under moldboard-plow (MP), chisel-plow (CP) and no-till (NT) for 8 years. An adjacent pasture (<25 years) and secondary growth forest (>60 years) soils were also sampled as references. At all sites, soil was a Kokomo silty clay loam (mesic Typic Argiaquolls). Significant tillage effects on t-MBC and protected C were found in the 0–5 cm depth. Protected C, a measure of C retained within macro-aggregates and defined as the difference in C_min (CO₂ evolved in a 56 days incubation) between intact and sieved (<2 mm) soil samples, amounted to 516, 162 and 121 mg C kg⁻¹ soil in the 0–5 cm layer of the forest, pasture and NT soils, respectively. Protected C was negligible in the CP and MP soils. Methane uptake rate (μg CH₄-C kg⁻¹ soil per day, under ambient CH₄) was higher in forest (2.70) than in pasture (1.22) and cropland (0.61) soils. No significant tillage effect on CH₄ oxidation rate was detected (MP: 0.82; CP: 0.41; NT: 0.61). These results underscore the slow recovery of the CH₄ uptake capacity of soils and suggest that, to have an impact, tillage reduction may need to be implemented for several decades.     

Contrasting development of soil microbial community structure under no-tilled perennial and tilled cropping during early pedogenesis of a Mollisol

A range of agricultural practices influence soil microbial communities, such as tillage and organic C inputs, however such effects are largely unknown at the initial stage of soil formation. Using an eight-year field experiment established on exposed parent material (PM) of a Mollisol, our objectives were to: (1) to determine the effects of field management and soil depth on soil microbial community structure; (2) to elucidate shifts in microbial community structure in relation to PM, compared to an arable Mollisol (MO) without organic amendment; and (3) to identify the controlling factors of such changes in microbial community structure. The treatments included two no-tilled soils supporting perennial crops, and four tilled soils under the same cropping system, with or without chemical fertilization and crop residue amendment. Principal component (PC) analysis of phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) profiles demonstrated that microbial community structures were affected by tillage and/or organic and inorganic inputs via PC1 and by land use and/or soil depth via PC2. All the field treatments were separated by PM into two groups via PC1, the tilled and the no-tilled soils, with the tilled soils more developed towards MO. The tilled soils were separated with respect to MO via PC1 associated with the differences in mineral fertilization and the quality of organic amendments, with the soils without organic amendment being more similar to MO. The separations via PC1 were principally driven by bacteria and associated with soil pH and soil C, N and P. The separations via PC2 were driven by fungi, actinomycetes and Gram (−) bacteria, and associated with soil bulk density. The separations via both PC1 and PC2 were associated with soil aggregate stability and exchangeable K, indicating the effects of weathering and soil aggregation. The results suggest that in spite of the importance of mineral fertilization and organic amendments, tillage and land-use type play a significant role in determining the nature of the development of associated soil microbial community structures at the initial stages of soil formation.     

Short-term effects of defoliation on the soil microbial community associated with two contrasting Lolium perenne cultivars

Intra-species variation in response to defoliation and soil amendment has been largely neglected in terms of the soil microbial community (SMC). The influence of defoliation and soil fertiliser amendment on the structure of the SMC was assessed with two Lolium perenne cultivars contrasting in ability to accumulate storage reserves. Plant response to defoliation was cultivar specific and depended on the nutrient amendment of the soil. Results suggested a greater ability to alter plant biomass allocation in the low carbohydrate accumulating cultivar (S23) compared to the high carbohydrate cultivar (AberDove) when grown in improved (IMP), but not in unimproved (UNI), soil. Although differences in plant growth parameters were evident, no treatment effects were detected in the size of the active microbial biomass (total phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) 313.8 nmol g⁻¹ soil±33.9) or proportions of PLFA signature groups. A lower average well colour development (AWCD) of Biolog sole carbon source utilisation profiles (SCSUPs) in defoliated (D) compared to non-defoliated (ND) treatments may be indicative of lower root exudation 1 week following defoliation, as a consequence of lower root non-structural carbohydrate (NSC) concentrations. Within the bacterial community the lower cyclopropyl-to-precursor ratio of PLFAs, and the trans/cis ratio of 16:1w7, in UNI relative to IMP soil treatments indicates lower physiological stress in UNI soils regardless of L. perenne cultivar. Discrimination of broad scale SMC structure, measured by PLFA analysis, revealed that soil treatment interacted strongly with cultivar and defoliation. In IMP soils the SMCs discriminated between cultivars while defoliation had little effect. Conversely, in UNI soils defoliation caused a common shift in the SMC associated with both cultivars, causing convergence of overall community structure. Separation of SMC structure along the primary canonical axis correlated most strongly (P<0.001) with root:shoot ratio (47.6%), confirming that differences in cultivar C-partitioning between treatments were influential in defining the rhizosphere microbial community.     

Variations in microbial community composition through two soil depth profiles

Soil profiles are often many meters deep, but with the majority of studies in soil microbiology focusing exclusively on the soil surface, we know very little about the nature of the microbial communities inhabiting the deeper soil horizons. We used phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) analysis to examine the vertical distribution of specific microbial groups and to identify the patterns of microbial abundance and community-level diversity within the soil profile. Samples were collected from the soil surface down to 2 m in depth from two unsaturated Mollisol profiles located near Santa Barbara, CA, USA. While the densities of microorganisms were generally one to two orders of magnitude lower in the deeper horizons of both profiles than at the soil surface, approximately 35% of the total quantity of microbial biomass found in the top 2 m of soil is found below a depth of 25 cm. Principal components analysis of the PLFA signatures indicates that the composition of the soil microbial communities changes significantly with soil depth. The differentiation of microbial communities within the two profiles coincides with an overall decline in microbial diversity. The number of individual PLFAs detected in soil samples decreased by about a third from the soil surface down to 2 m. The ratios of cyclopropyl/monoenoic precursors and total saturated/total monounsaturated fatty acids increased with soil depth, suggesting that the microbes inhabiting the deeper soil horizons are more carbon limited than surface-dwelling microbes. Using PLFAs as biomarkers, we show that Gram-positive bacteria and actinomycetes tended to increase in proportional abundance with increasing soil depth, while the abundances of Gram-negative bacteria, fungi, and protozoa were highest at the soil surface and substantially lower in the subsurface. The vertical distribution of these specific microbial groups can largely be attributed to the decline in carbon availability with soil depth.     

Soil microbial communities under conventional-till and no-till continuous cotton systems

Soil management practices affect soil microbial communities, which in turn influence soil ecosystem processes. In this study, the effects of conventional- (fall disking, chiseling and spring disking, field cultivation) and no-tillage practices on soil microbial communities were examined under long-term continuous cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) systems on a Decatur silt loam soil. Soil samples were taken in February, May, and October of 2000 at depths of 0-3, 3-6, 6-12, and 12-24 cm. Compared to the conventional-till treatment, the no-till treatment increased soil organic carbon and total nitrogen contents in the surface layer by 130 and 70%, respectively. Microbial biomass C content under no-till treatment was 60, 140, and 75% greater than under conventional-till treatment in February, May, and October, respectively. Principal components analysis of phospholipid ester-linked fatty acid (PLFA) profile indicated soil microbial communities shifted over time and with soil depth. This change appeared to be driven primarily by soil bacterial populations as indicated by the major PLFA contributors (i.e. fatty acids 16:0, 10Me16:0, cy19:0, 16:1 2OH, and i15:0) to the first two principal components. Tillage treatment differences were revealed by analysis of variance on the first principal components (PC 1), which accounted for 62% of the total sample variance, and by the relative abundance of selected PLFAs and PLFA ratios. The impact of tillage practices was significant in February and May, but not in October. During the growing season, changes in the microbial community may be primarily determined by soil conditions responding to cotton growth and environmental variables such as moisture and temperature; during fallow or prior to cotton establishment, community changes associated with tillage practices become more pronounced. These findings have implications for understanding how conservation tillage practices improve soil quality and sustainability in a cotton cropping system.     

不同保护性耕作措施对麦-豆轮作土壤有机碳库的影响

通过设置在甘肃省定西市李家堡镇的不同保护性耕作试验,对春小麦、豌豆两种轮作次序下的土壤总有机碳、活性有机碳、微生物量碳含量进行了测定,并计算了各处理土壤碳库管理指数.结果表明:经过5年的轮作后,与传统耕作相比,两种轮作次序下免耕秸秆覆盖和传统耕作结合秸秆还田处理均能不同程度地提高土壤总有机碳、活性有机碳、微生物量碳含量及土壤碳库管理指数,而免耕不覆盖处理除在0～5 cm提高了土壤有机碳库管理指数外,其他各层次均降低了土壤有机碳库管理指数,说明仅依靠免耕而不结合秸秆覆盖或还田对于土壤有机碳库的管理来讲是不可持续的.     

Soil texture affects soil microbial and structural recovery during grassland restoration

Many biotic and abiotic factors influence recovery of soil communities following prolonged disturbance. We investigated the role of soil texture in the recovery of soil microbial community structure and changes in microbial stress, as indexed by phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) profiles, using two chronosequences of grasslands restored from 0 to 19 years on silty clay loam and loamy fine sand soils in Nebraska, USA. All restorations were formerly cultivated fields seeded to native warm-season grasses through the USDA’s Conservation Reserve Program. Increases in many PLFA concentrations occurred across the silty clay loam chronosequence including total PLFA biomass, richness, fungi, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, Gram-positive bacteria, Gram-negative bacteria, and actinomycetes. Ratios of saturated:monounsaturated and iso:anteiso PLFAs decreased across the silty clay loam chronosequence indicating reduction in nutrient stress of the microbial community as grassland established. Multivariate analysis of entire PLFA profiles across the silty clay loam chronosequence showed recovery of microbial community structure on the trajectory toward native prairie. Conversely, no microbial groups exhibited a directional change across the loamy fine sand chronosequence. Changes in soil structure were also only observed across the silty clay loam chronosequence. Aggregate mean weighted diameter (MWD) exhibited an exponential rise to maximum resulting from an exponential rise to maximum in the proportion of large macroaggregates (>2000 μm) and exponential decay in microaggregates (<250 μm and >53 μm) and the silt and clay fraction (<53 μm). Across both chronosequences, MWD was highly correlated with total PLFA biomass and the biomass of many microbial groups. Strong correlations between many PLFA groups and the MWD of aggregates underscore the interdependence between the recovery of soil microbial communities and soil structure that may explain more variation than time for some soils (i.e., loamy fine sand). This study demonstrates that soil microbial responses to grassland restoration are modulated by soil texture with implications for estimating the true capacity of restoration efforts to rehabilitate ecosystem functions.     

Phospholipid fatty acid profiles as indicators for the microbial community structure in soils along a climatic transect in the Judean Desert

 Analyses of phospholipid fatty acids (PLFAs) were used to assess variations in soil microbial biodiversity, community structure and biomass, and consequently, the soil microbial successions in time along the climate gradient of the Judean Desert. Principal component analysis of the PLFA data revealed that the degree of time- and space-related variations in PLFA composition and microbial community structure was high among the desert habitats. Significant shifts of specific groups of fatty acids caused by climatic variations were observed. The biomass represented by the total amounts of PLFAs indicated that the greater the average amount of precipitation, the higher the biomass. The results indicate that at least three different microorganism strategies were probably followed: (1) in soils with a high biomass during the rainy period, a significant biomass decrease occurred during the dry period, mainly due to an extraordinary decrease of Gram-negative bacteria as indicated by the decrease of typical monounsaturated fatty acids and hydroxy-substituted phospholipid fatty acids in semi-arid climates; (2) in soils with low biomass content during the rainy period, a significant increase of biomass during the dry period occurred, due mainly to the increase of eukaryotes, Gram-positive, and Gram-negative bacteria characterized by polyunsaturated, branched chain and some of the monounsaturated fatty acids, respectively; and (3) relatively low and constant biomass during the entire observation period in the more arid zones of the Judean Desert. Received: 12 January 1998