Pine forest and grassland differently influence the response of soil microbial communities to metal contamination.
Metal pollution can affect soil microbial communities, and vegetation potentially influences this relationship. It can, for example, modify the toxicity of metal to soil microbes by controlling its input to the ground or by altering soil physicochemical properties. This study examined metal effects on soil respiration, potentially active microbial biomass (SIR) and catabolic abilities of culturable heterotrophic bacterial communities (Biolog GN) in pine forest and grassland ecosystems developed on soils contaminated with Zn, Pb and Cd. In samples from non-forested areas we found that metal pollution reduced the microbial biomass and functional diversity of bacteria, while increasing the metabolic quotient. In samples from pine forests we found no relationship between metal pollution and microbial parameters. Metals induced changes in soil respiration neither in forest nor in grassland sites. Generally, microbial performance was determined predominantly by soil physicochemical properties (nutrient content, acidity, contamination level). Vegetation type seemed a minor but important factor influencing microbial communities. More work is needed to determine why even relatively high metal concentrations do not significantly affect microbial communities in forest soils.
Stefanowicz
Anna M
AM
Department of Ecology, Institute of Botany, Polish Academy of Sciences, Lubicz 46, 31-512 Kraków, Poland. a.stefanowicz@botany.pl
Niklińska
Maria
M
Kapusta
Paweł
P
Szarek-Łukaszewska
Grażyna
G
D001419:Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D044822:Biodiversity; D002104:Cadmium / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity; D017753:Ecosystem; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D007854:Lead / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity; D008670:Metals / Q000032:analysis* / Q000633:toxicity; D041605:Pinus sylvestris; D006109:Poaceae; D012988:Soil Microbiology; D012989:Soil Pollutants / Q000032:analysis* / Q000633:toxicity; D014197:Trees; D015032:Zinc / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity
D008670:Metals; D012989:Soil Pollutants; D002104:Cadmium; D007854:Lead; D015032:Zinc