title: A combination method to study microbial communities and activities in zinc contaminated soil.
abstract: Zinc (Zn) plays a special role in soil ecology and fertility because it can support the growth of soil organisms or inhibit their growth depending on its concentrations. In this work, the effects of different concentrations of Zn on soil microbial communities and activities were analyzed by loading five different doses of Zn (160-6000 microg g(-1)) into a wheat surface soil. The microbial metabolic process revealed a significant bimodal pattern at high concentrations of Zn (>1920 microg g(-1)). This phenomenon suggested that soil microorganisms were very sensitive to zincous poisoning. A variety of soil quality properties were also measured and assessed. The results showed slower bacterial growth in soil cultures polluted with high levels of Zn. In addition, two kinds of fungi were identified by morphology and glomalin-related soil protein content in the Zn-contaminated soil. The growth of the first kind was inhibited with increase in Zn concentration. By contrast, the second kind could survive and continue to grow with increasing doses of Zn at 160-1920 microg g(-1) and its growth began to decline with further increase in Zn concentration. Finally, the fungus could not survive at very high (6000 microg g(-1)) Zn concentration. In this work, we conclude that soil microbial communities and activities can adapt to Zn pollution to a certain extent.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology of Chinese Ministry of Education & Sino-Hungarian Joint Laboratory of Environmental Science and Health, China University of Geosciences, 430074 Wuhan, PR China.
authors.forename: Yong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yao
authors.forename: Martin M F
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Yanjiao
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Haiyan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Russel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mohammad
authors.forename: Rensheng
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Zhuang
authors.forename: Huilun
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Fei
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Maskow
authors.forename: Gyula
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zaray
mesh_terms: D001419:Bacteria / Q000254:growth & development; D005658:Fungi / Q000254:growth & development; D012988:Soil Microbiology; D012989:Soil Pollutants / Q000633:toxicity; D014908:Triticum; D015032:Zinc / Q000633:toxicity*
chemical_list: D012989:Soil Pollutants; D015032:Zinc