土霉素及镉污染对土壤呼吸及酶活性的影响

随着饲料工业以及畜禽养殖业的规模化发展,抗生素和重金属在土壤环境中同时存在的几率不断增大。为了分析抗生素和重金属对土壤微生物生态系统的影响,以土霉素(OTC)与镉(Cd)为污染物,采用室内培养法,研究了土霉素(OTC)与镉(Cd)单一处理及复合污染对土壤呼吸和酶活性的影响。结果表明,10mg/kg重金属镉单独污染对土壤微生物呼吸表现为先抑制后激活作用,且显著抑制了土壤蔗糖酶、脲酶、磷酸酶活性,对3种酶活性平均抑制率从大到小依次为:蔗糖酶磷酸酶脲酶;1mg/kg土霉素显著激活土壤微生物呼吸,50和200mg/kg土霉素对土壤微生物呼吸的影响呈现出先抑制后激活的规律。各处理浓度下的土霉素对蔗糖酶和脲酶活性均主要表现为抑制作用,对磷酸酶活性的影响呈现出一定的波动性;当土霉素的浓度为1和200mg/kg时,其与10mg/kg镉的复合污染对土壤微生物呼吸及3种酶活性的影响主要为拮抗作用,但当土霉素的浓度为50mg/kg时,与10mg/kg镉的复合污染对土壤微生物呼吸及3种酶活性的影响则主要为协同作用。微生物呼吸对土霉素与镉胁迫更为敏感,最高抑制率和激活率分别可达98.98%和300.82%,土壤酶活性受土霉素和镉污染的影响要弱于它们对土壤微生物呼吸的影响。     

长期培肥对农田黑土土壤酶活性动态变化的影响

以黑龙江省农科院"黑土肥力与肥效长期定位试验"的农田黑土为研究对象,探讨了长期不同施肥处理对土壤脲酶、磷酸酶、过氧化氢酶、脱氢酶和转化酶活性动态变化的影响.试验结果表明,长期施用有机无机肥处理能显著增加土壤酶活性,比氮磷钾、有机肥、对照处理的土壤脲酶活性分别平均增加7.99%、13.78%、18.25%;比氮磷钾、有机肥、对照处理的土壤磷酸酶活性分别平均增加23.63%、12.79%、29.72%;比氮磷钾、有机肥、对照处理的土壤脱氢酶活性分别平均增加21.12%、13.11%、27.32%.5种酶的相关分析表明,各种土壤酶活性之间呈显著正相关,表明土壤酶活性能有效地反映农田黑土在长期施肥条件下土壤质量的变化.     

长期施肥对黑土和暗棕壤土壤酶活性及土壤养分的影响

为阐明长期施肥对黑土和暗棕壤土壤酶活性的影响、土壤酶活性与土壤养分的关系,探讨土壤持续利用的培肥模式,采集了施用不同肥料28年后的黑土和暗棕壤,对黑土和暗棕壤土壤酶活性以及土壤养分因子进行了测定和分析。结果表明,与不施肥对照相比,各施肥处理均可显著增加黑土和暗棕壤有机质和氮磷钾养分含量,提高土壤脲酶、磷酸酶、转化酶、过氧化氢酶活性,其中以化肥配施有机肥效果最为明显。土壤酶活性与土壤养分之间有很好的相关性,土壤脲酶、磷酸酶、转化酶、过氧化氢酶活性与土壤有机质、全氮、全磷、碱解氮、速效磷含量呈显著相关,黑土对施肥比暗棕壤对施肥更敏感。对不同土壤长期化肥配施有机肥均可为作物生长创造良好的土壤环境。     

施肥对不同杂粮作物连作土壤化学特性及酶活性的影响

土壤化学特性和酶活性与施肥水平密切相关,是衡量土壤肥力状况的重要指标。本研究以黑土区连续四年种植豆科作物(绿豆和红小豆)和禾本科作物(高粱)的施肥定位试验为研究平台,选取不施肥、施化肥和施有机肥3种施肥处理,分析施肥对不同杂粮作物的土壤有机质、pH、土壤养分含量和土壤酶活性的影响。结果表明,施肥降低了连作杂粮作物土壤pH值,但与不施肥相比差异不显著,禾本科植物土壤pH降低的幅度高于豆科作物土壤。连作绿豆的土壤中,与不施肥相比,施化肥处理增加了土壤全氮、碱解氮、全磷和速效磷含量,分别显著增加了18.4%,23.1%,21.7%和67.2%;施有机肥显著增加了土壤全氮和速效钾含量,且显著高于施化肥处理。连作红小豆的土壤中,与不施肥相比,施化肥显著增加了土壤速效磷和速效钾的含量,有机肥显著增加了土壤速效钾含量。连作高粱土壤中,与不施肥相比,化肥施用显著增加了土壤碱解氮含量而显著降低了速效钾含量,有机肥施用显著增加土壤碱解氮、速效磷和速效钾含量。土壤酶活性方面,除施化肥处理下连作红小豆土壤磷酸酶活性低于连作高粱外,其他相同施肥处理下种植豆科作物的土壤蔗糖酶活性、脲酶活性和磷酸酶活性均高于高粱土壤,种植高粱土壤过氧化氢酶活性高于豆科作物。因此,施肥和杂粮作物种类均是影响土壤化学特性和土壤酶活性的重要因素。     

东北农田黑土土壤酶活性与理化性质的关系研究

黑土是保证我国粮食安全的最重要的土壤资源之一,主要分布在我国的东北地区。为了调查我国黑土区土壤理化性状、土壤酶活性及两者间相互关系,我们从黑土区不同纬度农田采集了26个土壤样品,分析其土壤酶活性与微生物量碳（SMBC）及其它土壤理化性状的关系。结果发现,黑龙江北安黑土土壤全碳、全氮、全磷、碱解氮、SMBC、过氧化氢酶、脲酶及转化酶活性最大;简单相关分析发现,过氧化氢酶、脲酶、磷酸酶及转化酶均与土壤全氮、全碳及SMBC呈极显著正相关;通径分析表明,全氮是影响该土壤区土壤酶活性的主导因子,pH值是通过直接作用或间接作用影响过氧化氢酶活性的另一主导理化因子,全氮是脲酶活性的主导因子,碱解氮、全碳、全氮是磷酸酶活性的主导因子,全氮和pH值是影响转化酶的两大主导理化因子。     

土霉素污染对土壤生物学性质影响的初步研究

为了解随粪肥进入农田中的土霉素对土壤生物化学性质产生的可能影响,采用实验模拟方法研究了土霉素污染对土壤微生物生物量碳、土壤酶活性及微生物组成的影响。结果表明,土霉素污染对土壤细菌、放线菌数量和微生物总量均有一定的抑制作用,随土霉素污染程度的提高抑制作用也有所增强;但土霉素污染对真菌的作用较为复杂,一般是低浓度时有促进作用,高浓度时有抑制作用。低量土霉素污染对土壤脲酶和中性磷酸酶活性均无明显的影响,但高量的土霉素污染对土壤脲酶活性起抑制作用。土霉素对土壤微生物生物量碳的影响因土壤类型、土霉素加入量和培养时间不同有所差异。土霉素污染对土壤生物化学性质的影响主要发生在土霉素进入土壤的初期,随着时间的增加,影响逐渐减弱和消失;     

黑土酶活性的剖面分布及其对养分的评价

在黑龙江省内选取9个典型黑土剖面,研究其土壤过氧化氢酶、磷酸酶、脲酶、转化酶、硝酸还原酶活性的剖面分布规律。结果表明：在0-40 cm土层中,黑土5种酶活性都随土壤层次的加深而下降,而在40cm以下的土层中,过氧化氢酶、硝酸还原酶、转化酶活性不再降低,趋于稳定或略有升高,磷酸酶和脲酶活性却急剧降低,甚至没有酶活性;相关分析表明,土壤过氧化氢酶、磷酸酶、脲酶、硝酸还原酶活性和土壤全氮、速效氮、全磷、全钾、全碳含量及C/N显著相关,土壤转化酶活性和土壤全氮、速效氮、全钾、速效钾、全碳含量显著相关,主成分分析结果显示在第一主成分中,土壤磷酸酶、脲酶活性占有较大比例,可以用来作为土壤氮素、全量磷分和全量碳分的指示指标。     

土壤中土霉素残留的高效液相色谱检测方法

为有效测定土壤中土霉素残留量,建立了固相萃取－高效液相色谱法提取以及测定潮土、红壤、紫色土中土霉素残留量的方法。土壤中土霉素残留经提取缓冲溶液进行有效提取,经过DVB固相萃取小柱纯化、无水甲醇洗脱和氮气流浓缩后,经HPLC测定。对提取缓冲液、流动相以及流动相pH值、有机相与无机相的比例以及流速等测定条件进行优化研究。结果表明：提取液为Na2EDTA-Mcllvaine,流动相为乙腈∶0.01mol/L磷酸二氢钠（pH值2.5,V∶V=10∶90）,温度25℃,流速1.2ml/min,检测波长350nm对3种不同性质的土壤中土霉素残留量的测定最为合适。应用本方法进行土壤中土霉素残留量的测定,土霉素含量与峰面积具有良好的线性关系,相关系数（n=9）分别为红壤0.997,紫色土0.995,潮土0.987;检出限分别为红壤0.11mg/kg,紫色土0.17mg/kg,潮土0.09mg/kg;回收率(n=18)分别为红壤80.7%~128.8%,紫色土70.5%~100.0%,潮土61.5%~103.9%;相对标准偏差(RSD, n=18)分别为红壤7.1%~28.2%,紫色土11.9%~38.1%,潮土4.1%~17.0％。本方法简便、准确,适合于测定不同土壤中土霉素残留量,结果可靠。     

东北黑土区不同耕作方式土壤养分与酶活性的时空变化

通过田间试验研究了东北黑土区玉米不同耕作方式的土壤养分与酶活性的时空变化规律.结果表明,整个生育期不同处理在各个土层均有较高的碱解氮含量,而在播种前常规耕作高于宽窄行,玉米生长中期则是宽窄行高于常规耕作,收获后各处理含量水平基本一致.有效磷不同处理均表现出养分表聚现象,且宽窄行在各个生育期的不同土层内均高于常规耕作.速效钾含量随着土层的加深降低不十分明显,处理间没有表现出明显的差异,体现了钾素养分移动性大的特点.玉米生长关键期的全量氮、磷、钾变化幅度不大,处理问含量水平一致;有机质含量在2%～3%之间;pH值不同处理均随着土层的加深逐渐升高的趋势,说明不同的耕作措施都有促进土壤表层酸化的现象.不同耕作方式土壤酶活性在整个生育期变化趋势相同,无明显差异.     

黑土表层有效养分含量和酶活性对雪被去除的季节性响应

为探究黑土养分和土壤酶活性对极端积雪覆盖情况的季节性响应,该研究采用雪被去除的方法,设置了2个试验组（积雪覆盖试验组和雪被去除对照组）,并进行了土壤温湿度、有机质含量、碱解氮含量、速效磷含量以及脲酶活性和转化酶活性动态变化的分析。结果表明,雪被去除显著降低了土壤温度和土壤水分（P<0.05）,使土壤冻结和融化时间提前,显著增加了冻融循环次数。同时,雪被去除显著增加了早冬和深冬时期的土壤有机质、碱解氮和速效磷的含量,并显著降低了冬末三者的含量。而在雪被去除处理下,土壤酶活性显著降低,与对照组相比,雪被去除使土壤转化酶和脲酶活性降低了25.0%和16.3%以上。此外,除了在深冬时期,两种酶活性的主要控制因素均为土壤有效养分含量外,在早冬和冬末两个阶段,控制两种土壤酶活性大小的因素也存在差异。研究揭示了未来气候变化所引起的积雪减少将导致土壤有效养分积累与释放过程发生转变,表现为土壤养分在冬季早期迅速释放,冬季末期逐渐累积,进而造成一定养分流失。研究结果可为未来气候变暖的土壤生物化学演化机制研究提供理论支撑。     

Rhizosphere soil enzymatic and microbial activities in bamboo forests in southeastern China

Bamboo has been introduced to coastal sandy areas in southeastern China to protect and restore coastal ecosystems. An understanding of the chemistries and enzymatic and microbial activities in the soils of these bamboo forests will aid our understanding of how bamboo plantations can improve soil fertility and will provide scientific evidence for policy makers for encouraging the planting of bamboo in other coastal areas. We investigated the physical and chemical properties of the rhizosphere soil [soil moisture content (SMC), pH, and contents of soil organic matter (SOM), total nitrogen (TN), available nitrogen (AN), total phosphorus (TP), available phosphorus (AP), total potassium (TK) and available potassium (AK)], enzymatic activities (sucrase, protease, urease and catalase) and microbial properties (counts of bacteria, fungi and actinomycetes) in five bamboo forests. The bamboo forests had significantly higher levels of SOM, TN, AN, TP, AP, TK, and AK and lower pH relative to a control soil sample from an area devoid of plants. Soil enzymatic activities and microbial communities were considerably higher in the bamboo forests than in the soil from the barren land. The chemical contents, enzymatic activities and microbial counts of the soil and the litter and root biomasses were higher in forests with the bamboo species Dendrocalamopsis oldhami and Pseudosasa amabilis than in forests with the other three species (Acidosasa edulis, Dendrocalamopsis vario-striata, and Dendrocalamopsis beecheyana var. pubescens), which suggests that these two species could adapt to sandy soil and grow well in a hostile environment. These results indicate that planting bamboo may help to both enrich soil fertility and increase the diversity of tree species in coastal ecosystems. The difference between aboveground and belowground biomass may have been responsible for these changes in soil properties.     

灌水和氮肥类型对土壤微生物量和酶活性的影响

灌水和施氮肥类型对土壤微生物和酶的影响尚不清楚。该研究旨在评估不同灌水和氮肥类型对土壤微生物生物量和酶活性的影响。结果表明,与清水灌溉相比,再生水灌溉显著增加了土壤细菌、放线菌、革兰氏阳性菌的生物量以及总磷脂脂肪酸,增加幅度分别为7.60%、10.48%、4.97%和4.88%。施氮肥显著提高了土壤细菌生物量和总磷脂脂肪酸,增加幅度范围分别为13.42%~17.34%和8.12%~11.19%。与清水灌溉相比,再生水灌溉并没有显著增加土壤脲酶、过氧化氢酶和蔗糖酶活性。施氮肥也没有显著提高土壤脲酶、过氧化氢酶和蔗糖酶活性。土壤微生物和酶在施缓释尿素肥的土壤中更为活跃。研究结果表明,与其他土壤微生物相比,放线菌和革兰氏阳性菌生长得更快,能更有效地利用再生水灌溉带入的可溶性有机氮;而细菌能更有效地利用氮肥带入的硝态氮。再生水灌溉和施缓释尿素肥在增加土壤微生物生物量和酶活性方面更有效。为了获得更好的土壤质量,更高的作物产量和可持续性利用水资源,建议夏玉米-冬小麦轮作种植利用再生水滴灌并施用缓释尿素肥。     

长期施肥对薄层黑土酶活性及土壤肥力的影响

利用29年的长期定位试验,对不同的施肥方式下薄层黑土酶活性及肥力进行了研究,探讨长期施肥对土壤酶活性及与土壤肥力的影响。结果表明,化肥与有机肥配合施用能明显提高土壤有机质、全氮、全磷、碱解氮、有效磷含量,增强土壤脲酶、磷酸酶、转化酶、过氧化氢酶、脱氢酶活性。相关分析结果显示,土壤脲酶、磷酸酶、转化酶、过氧化氢酶、脱氢酶活性与有机质、全氮、全磷、有效磷、碱解氮呈显著正相关。土壤脲酶、磷酸酶、转化酶、过氧化氢酶、脱氢酶综合活性可以反映长期施肥后薄层黑土质量的变化趋势。     

近100年植被破坏加速侵蚀下土壤养分和 酶活性动态变化研究

选取不同开垦年限的阳坡梁坡农地为研究对象,研究子午岭地区近100年植被破坏加速侵蚀下土壤养分和酶活性动态变化。结果表明,林地被开垦近100年来,阳坡梁坡农地0―20和20―40 cm土层中土壤的有机碳、全氮含量,碱性磷酸酶和蔗糖酶活性皆随开垦年限的延长呈明显的下降趋势。与对照林地相比,不同开垦年限的农地土壤剖面0―20 cm土层的土壤有机碳、全氮含量,碱性磷酸酶和蔗糖酶活性分别下降了26.6 %～84 .4%、17.6%～76.9 %,15.7%～73.8%和37.6%～68.6 %;20―40 cm土层分别下降了30.7 %～81.0%、8.3 %～71.9%,17.3 %～96.9%和51.1%～92.6%。土壤有机碳、全氮含量,碱性磷酸酶和蔗糖酶活性在开垦初期（4 a）年均下降速率最大;而后,随开垦年限延长年均下降速率减少。土壤有机碳和全氮含量在0―20和20―40 cm土层之间差异随着开垦年限的延长呈减少趋势。土壤脲酶活性随开垦年限的延长呈先上升后下降的趋势,开垦9 a农地的土壤脲酶活性最高。受施用磷肥的影响,土壤速效磷含量随开垦年限延长,在0―20 cm土层呈波动变化,在20―40 cm土层呈微弱下降趋势。     

Effect of carbofuran on enzymatic activities and growth of tomato plants in natural,fertilized and vermicompost-amended soils

The effects of carbofuran, a widely used carbamate pesticide, on soil enzymatic activities such as fluorescein diacetate hydrolysis (FDAH), dehydrogenase, and acid and alkaline phosphatases were studied at different time intervals in unamended soil and soil amended with inorganic fertilizers and vermicompost, cropped with tomato plants. The results showed that all enzymatic activities varied with carbofuran application rates and increased significantly up to 1.0 kg active ingredient (a.i.) ha^?1 dose of carbofuran. The most significant increase was observed at 0.20 kg a.i. ha^?1 dose both in unamended and amended soils. This showed that carbofuran was not toxic to all enzymatic activities studied upto 1.0 kg a.i. ha^?1 dose of carbofuran in both systems. A significant decrease in all enzymatic activites were observed at higher dose of carbofuran both in unamended and amended soils relative to their respective controls. Highest enzymatic activities were observed in vermicompost amended soil and minimum in fertilized soil compared to control. The results indicated that the growth of tomato plants was significantly higher at 0.20 kg a.i. ha^?1 dose of carbofuran in all the cases and followed the order: fertilized soil > vermicompost amended soil > natural soil and was positively correlated with the enzyme activities.     

Application of an insoluble polyacrylate polymer to copper-contaminated soil enhances plant growth and soil quality

Abstract. We investigated whether an insoluble polyacrylate polymer could be used to improve the quality of a copper-contaminated soil. Growth of annual medic ( Medicago polymorpha L.) was stimulated in the polymer-amended soil, such that total biomass produced was three times that of plants from unamended soil. Roots of plants cultivated in the polymer-amended soil had a concentration of copper that was 73% of that in plants from the unamended soil. Biological N₂ fixation was enhanced in the polymer-amended soil. Soil enzymatic activities at the end of the experiment were correlated with plant growth and copper concentration of plants grown in soils with different levels of copper, which were achieved by mixing the contaminated soil with varying proportions of a soil of low copper content. Shoot dry weight was positively correlated with acid phosphatase, β-glucosidase, β-galactosidase and urease, whereas copper concentration in the roots of the annual medic was negatively correlated with acid phosphatase, β-galactosidase, cellulase and urease. The results are consistent with soil remediation by the polyacrylate polymer. Soil quality as inferred from plant growth, biological N₂ fixation and soil enzymatic activities improved as a result of the remediation process.     

广东省典型土壤类型和土地利用方式对土壤酶活性的影响

通过野外调查与室内分析,研究了广东省韶关红壤、广州赤红壤、雷州砖红壤3个典型地带性土壤分布区4种不同土地利用方式(包括林地、果园、草地和农田)对表层(0~20 cm)土壤几种主要酶活性(过氧化氢酶、纤维素酶、蔗糖酶、脲酶、蛋白酶活性)的影响。结果表明,不同土壤类型和不同土地利用方式对土壤酶活性均有一定影响,其中土地利用方式影响更为明显。土壤酶活性多表现为果园和林地较高,农田和草地较低;而土壤过氧化氢酶对土地利用方式和土壤类型的响应均较其它几种酶弱。典范相关分析结果表明,全磷、速效磷、速效氮含量是土壤养分因子中影响土壤酶活性的最重要因素,5种酶中纤维素酶和蛋白酶活性与土壤养分因子关系最大,而土壤酶活性之间也存在着一定的共性关系。     

长期不同施肥潮土活性有机氮库组分与酶活性对外源牛粪的响应

【目的】研究不同施肥制度下潮土中活性有机氮库及酶活性对新添加有机物料的响应机制,可深入理解不同施肥制度培肥土壤、提高土壤基础地力的机理。【方法】供试土壤采集于从1986年开始的长期定位试验处理,包括CK (不施肥)、OF (常量有机肥)、CF (常量化肥)、OCF (常量有机无机配施) 4个处理。通过室内恒温培养试验,研究添加等氮量牛粪后长期不同施肥潮土有机氮库组分(微生物量氮、可溶性有机氮和颗粒有机氮)含量及土壤酶(α-葡萄糖苷酶、β-葡萄糖苷酶、β-木糖苷酶、纤维二糖水解酶、磷酸酶、过氧化物酶和酚氧化酶)活性的变化特征。【结果】首先,无论添加牛粪与否,土壤全氮、可溶性有机氮和颗粒有机氮含量均随培养时间呈上升趋势或与初始时期差异不显著;添加牛粪的长期不施肥与施化肥处理土壤微生物量氮含量显著低于相同处理不添加牛粪的土壤微生物量氮含量。其次,培养结束后,添加牛粪增加了长期不同施肥潮土全氮、可溶性有机氮和颗粒有机氮含量,分别提高了5.43%~15.49%、5.83%~69.42%及9.75%~42.29%,却降低了土壤微生物量氮含量16.91%~62.10%。另外,施肥、添加牛粪及其交互作用对土壤酶活性具有显著影响(P <0.05);无论添加牛粪与否,不同施肥处理土壤氧化酶(过氧化物酶和酚氧化酶)活性显著低于不施肥处理,不同施肥处理的土壤水解酶活性却呈现不同的变化趋势。不添加牛粪情况下,长期施肥显著提高了除β-葡萄糖苷酶以外的土壤水解酶活性;其中与长期不施肥处理相比,长期施用化肥土壤β-木糖苷酶和β-纤维素酶分别提高了208.74%和180.75%。添加牛粪情况下长期施用有机肥土壤β-葡萄糖苷酶和β-纤维素酶比不施肥分别提高了201.40%和308.04%;冗余分析(redundancy analysis,RDA)显示,添加与不添加牛粪条件下土壤酶活性的关键环境驱动因子不同,在不添加牛粪时为可溶性有机氮,添加后其关键驱动因子为全氮和可溶性有机氮。【结论】不同施肥制度下土壤微生物量氮、可溶性有机氮、颗粒有机氮与土壤全氮之间呈显著正相关;室内好气培养条件下,添加牛粪显著提高了长期不同施肥潮土的全氮、可溶性有机氮、颗粒有机氮含量,却显著降低了土壤微生物量氮含量;不同施肥制度下土壤酶活性差异显著,牛粪的添加改变了影响长期不同施肥潮土酶活性的关键环境因子。     

Evaluation of soil enzyme activities and microbial communities in tomato continuous cropping soil treated with jerusalem artichoke residues

ABSTRACT

Jerusalem artichoke (JY) (Helianthus tuberosus L.) has been reported to have a strong inhibitory effect on weed growth and root knot nematodes, but little information is available on the effects on soil ecosystems, especially soil microorganisms and soil enzyme activities. Understanding the dynamics of soil microbes and soil enzyme activities in cropping systems can help determine how agricultural practices influence soil processes mediated by JY residues. This study used a pot experiment, with five-year continuous cropping soil of tomato plants as the experimental material and 2% (w/w) JY residue as the treatment material in the soil. The treatment was compared to continuously monocropped tomato soil that was not treated with JY residues. The results of 16S high-throughput sequencing showed that both fungal and bacterial community structure and composition varied significantly at each stage of JY treatment. The analysis showed that the major phyla in the soil fungal community included Ascomycota, Zygomycota and Basidiomycota. Chytridiomycota was dominant in only the JY-treated soil. At the genus level, the abundances of Mortierella, Cephaliophora, Cryptococcus and Fusarium notably changed at each stage of JY treatment. In the bacterial community in the JY-treated group, the abundance of Proteobacteria increased significantly, while that of Firmicutes decreased significantly, compared to the control group. JY enhanced the activity of soil sucrase and urease. In addition, the soil sucrase activity showed a strong negative correlation with Fusarium and Bacillus. Overall, our results revealed that JY residues changed both the soil bacterial and fungal community composition and the soil enzyme activities.     

Biochar impact on the estimation of the colorimetric‐based enzymatic assays of soil

This study was carried out in order to assess the influence of biochar applications on the estimation of colorimetric‐based enzymatic assays and to verify the effectiveness of the most common methods. Since most methods used to determine enzymatic activities in the soil are based on colorimetry, biochar may absorb substrates and/or coloured products thereby distorting the analytical result. Biochar was added to two soils, with different textures and cation exchangeable capacities, at a rate of 2% (w/w), and seven enzyme activities were determined following standard methods. The biochar amendment lowered the spectrophotometer reading of the activity of FDAase and dehydrogenase in the sandy soil. In the three enzymatic activities based on p‐nitrophenol production (β‐glucosidase, phosphatase and arylsulphatase), the addition of biochar did not change the enzyme assays. The biochar led to an overestimation in terms of the protease and urease activities in the sandy soil. In the clay loamy soil, biochar did not change the response of any of the enzyme activities tested. A biochar dose of up to 2% only guarantees the effectiveness of the most common spectrophotometric methods for not excessively sandy soils.