title: Metabolic quotient of the soil microflora in relation to plant succession.
abstract: In this study we propose the hypothesis that ecosystem succession is accompanied by a decrease in the metabolic quotient qCO2(respiration-to-biomass ratio) of the soil microflora. The qCO2is calculated from basal respiration (CO2-C·h-1) per unit microbial biomass carbon (Cmier). The hypothesis was tested by studying two primary successions on recessional moraines of the Rotmoos Ferner (Austria) and the Athabasca Glacier (Canada). For both soil seres (0->200 years) it was shown that the qCO2decreased with time, which corroborated the hypothesis. In addition, the short term development of the qCO2was demonstrated with a revegetation trial. We observed a rise in qCO2for the first two years after reclamation, followed by a subsequent decrease.
authors.affiliation: Kananaskis Centre for Environmental Research, The University of Calgary, T2N 1N4, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Insam
authors.affiliation: Institut für Mikrobiologie, Universität Innsbruck, Technikerstrasse 25, A-6020, Innsbruck, Austria.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Haselwandter
keywords: Ecosystem theory; Metabolic quotient; Microbial biomass; Soil respiration; Succession