Microbial activity in soils from the Făgăraș Mountains

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.24193/subbbiol.2019.2.05

Keywords:

enzymatic activity, enzymatic and bacterial indicator of soil quality, the Făgăraș Mountains microbial activity.

Abstract

The aim of this paper was to assess the microbial activity and detection of some enzymes from soils of mountain zones in order to understand the complex processes that occur in these habitats. The sampling sites are located in three zones from the Făgăraș Mountains (woodside, forest and grassland). Six soil samples from these zones were subjected to microbiological and enzymological studies. The physical-chemical analyses were carried out using a portable multiparameter (pH, Eh, electrical conductivity and salinity). The following four ecophysiological bacterial groups have been studied: aerobic mesophilic heterotrophs, ammonifiers, nitrifiers and denitrifiers. The presence of all ecophysiological bacterial groups was registered in all the soil samples. The studied bacterial groups present fluctuations according with the sampling zones. The descending ranking of their abundance in the soil samples was: aerobic mesophilic heterotrophs, ammonifiers, nitrifiers, denitrifiers. Based on the bacteria number of each ecophysiological group, the bacterial indicators of soil quality (BISQ) were calculated. All of the four enzymatic activities analysed in soils (phosphatase, catalase, actual and potential dehydrogenase) were registered at every sampling site. Based on the absolute values of enzymatic activities, the enzymatic indicator of soil quality (EISQ) was obtained. The EISQ and BISQ values indicate a good intensity of these activities in all the analysed zones.

Author Biographies

Carla Andreea CULDA, Faculty of Biology and Geology, Babeș-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania. Email: k_hella@yahoo.com

Faculty of Biology and Geology, Babeș-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania; College for Advanced Performance Studies, Babeș-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania. Email: k_hella@yahoo.com

Rahela CARPA, Babeș-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania. E-mail: k_hella@yahoo.com

Faculty of Biology and Geology, Babeș-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania. Centre of Systematic Biology, Biodiversity and Bioresources, Babeș-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania; Institute for Research-Development-Innovation in Applied Natural Science, Babeș-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania. E-mail: k_hella@yahoo.com

Călin DEJEU, Independent researcher (biologist), Cluj-Napoca, Romania. E-mail: k_hella@yahoo.com

Independent researcher (biologist), Cluj-Napoca, Romania. E-mail: k_hella@yahoo.com

Anca Livia BUTIUC, Babeș-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania. E-mail: k_hella@yahoo.com

Faculty of Biology and Geology, Babeș-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania. Centre of Systematic Biology, Biodiversity and Bioresources, Babeș-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania. E-mail: k_hella@yahoo.com

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Published

2019-12-10

How to Cite

CULDA, C. A., CARPA, R., DEJEU, C., & BUTIUC, A. L. (2019). Microbial activity in soils from the Făgăraș Mountains. Studia Universitatis Babeș-Bolyai Biologia, 64(2), 55–66. https://doi.org/10.24193/subbbiol.2019.2.05

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Articles