title: Assessing microbial activities in metal contaminated agricultural volcanic soils--An integrative approach.
abstract: Volcanic soils are unique naturally fertile resources, extensively used for agricultural purposes and with particular physicochemical properties that may result in accumulation of toxic substances, such as trace metals. Trace metal contaminated soils have significant effects on soil microbial activities and hence on soil quality. The aim of this study is to determine the soil microbial responses to metal contamination in volcanic soils under different agricultural land use practices (conventional, traditional and organic), based on a three-tier approach: Tier 1 - assess soil microbial activities, Tier 2 - link the microbial activity to soil trace metal contamination and, Tier 3 - integrate the microbial activity in an effect-based soil index (Integrative Biological Response) to score soil health status in metal contaminated agricultural soils. Our results showed that microbial biomass C levels and soil enzymes activities were decreased in all agricultural soils. Dehydrogenase and β-glucosidase activities, soil basal respiration and microbial biomass C were the most sensitive responses to trace metal soil contamination. The Integrative Biological Response value indicated that soil health was ranked as: organic>traditional>conventional, highlighting the importance of integrative biomarker-based strategies for the development of the trace metal "footprint" in Andosols.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, University of the Azores, 9501-801 Ponta Delgada, Portugal; cE3c, Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes, and Azorean Biodiversity Group, University of the Azores, 9501-801 Ponta Delgada, Portugal. Electronic address: carolina.pf.parelho@uac.pt.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Parelho
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, University of the Azores, 9501-801 Ponta Delgada, Portugal; CVARG, Center of Volcanology and Geological Risks Assessment, University of the Azores, 9501-801 Ponta Delgada, Portugal. Electronic address: armindo.s.rodrigues@uac.pt.
authors.forename: A S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Rodrigues
authors.affiliation: cE3c, Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes, and Azorean Biodiversity Group, University of the Azores, 9501-801 Ponta Delgada, Portugal; Department of Technologic Sciences and Development, University of the Azores, 9501-801 Ponta Delgada, Portugal. Electronic address: maria.cr.barreto@uac.pt.
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Barreto
authors.affiliation: CIIMAR, Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, Rua dos Bragas 289, 4050-123 Porto, Portugal. Electronic address: nuno.ferreira@ciimar.up.pt.
authors.forename: N G C
authors.initials: NG
authors.lastname: Ferreira
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, University of the Azores, 9501-801 Ponta Delgada, Portugal; cE3c, Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes, and Azorean Biodiversity Group, University of the Azores, 9501-801 Ponta Delgada, Portugal. Electronic address: patricia.v.garcia@uac.pt.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Garcia
mesh_terms: D000383:Agriculture; D018533:Biomass; D008670:Metals / Q000032:analysis; D010088:Oxidoreductases / Q000378:metabolism; D012987:Soil / Q000737:chemistry*; D012988:Soil Microbiology; D012989:Soil Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D001617:beta-Glucosidase / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D008670:Metals; D012987:Soil; D012989:Soil Pollutants; D010088:Oxidoreductases; D001617:beta-Glucosidase
keywords: Andosols; Integrative Biological Response; Soil enzyme activities; Soil microbial activities; Trace metal