Relationship between dsDNA, chloroform labile C and ergosterol in soils of different organic matter contents and pH

• Published in: Soil biology & biochemistry Vol. 32; no. 6; pp. 879 - 882
• Main Authors: Marstorp, Håkan, Guan, Xin, Gong, Ping
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01-06-2000; New York, NY Elsevier Science
• Subjects: Agronomy. Soil science and plant productions; Biochemistry and biology; Biological and medical sciences; Chemical, physicochemical, biochemical and biological properties; DNA; Ergosterol; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Microbiology; Physics, chemistry, biochemistry and biology of agricultural and forest soils; Soil microbial biomass; Soil science; Ergosterol; Soil microbial biomass; DNA; Biological properties; Organic carbon; Double stranded DNA; Organic matter; Fumigation; Chloroform; Soil analysis; Phytosterol; Property of soil; Microbial biomass; Microbial community
• ISSN: 0038-0717; 1879-3428
• DOI: 10.1016/S0038-0717(99)00210-2

We evaluated the relationship between dsDNA and microbial biomass C estimated by chloroform fumigation in eight soils from the Ultuna long-term experiment (37% clay, 41% silt and 22% sand). These soils have received different organic amendments and fertilisers, every other year since 1956, which have resulted in different soil C contents and pH. Chloroform-labile C and dsDNA concentrations ranged from 50 to 208 μg and from 24 to 95 μg g
−1 of soil, respectively. Soil concentrations of dsDNA and chloroform-labile C were highly correlated (
r=0.96). The ratios of ergosterol to chloroform-labile C and ergosterol to dsDNA varied between the soils, indicating differences in the fungal-to-total biomass ratio. Despite differences in microbial community composition, the concentration of dsDNA was generally proportional to the concentration of chloroform-labile C and the two appeared to be equivalent measures of soil microbial biomass.