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Soil Moisture Tension and Microbiological Activity
Author(s) -
Bhaumik H. D.,
Clark Francis E.
Publication year - 1948
Publication title -
soil science society of america journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.836
H-Index - 168
eISSN - 1435-0661
pISSN - 0361-5995
DOI - 10.2136/sssaj1948.036159950012000c0054x
Subject(s) - environmental science , moisture , soil science , water content , tension (geology) , geology , geotechnical engineering , geography , materials science , meteorology , composite material , ultimate tensile strength
MOISTURE is recognized as essential for the biological transformation of complex organic material in soil. Previous investigators (i, 3, 5, 8) have considered the influence of differing amounts of moisture on the activity of soil microorganisms as measured 'by microbial numbers, by evolution of carbon dioxide, by the formation of ammonia or nitrates, or by the fixation of elementary nitrogen. For such work, moisture content has been expressed in terms of percentage of maximum water-holding capacity or in terms of the thickness of the moisture film. To the experimental difficulty of separating the effects of moisture from other inter-acting factors, there has been added in some instances failure to insure a constant moisture content .throughout an experimental period or to effect an even distribution of moisture throughout the sample. During recent years, the energy concept of soil moisture has been more widely developed. Under this concept, soil moisture is expressed in terms of the physical forces by which it is held in soil and not in terms of actual, percentage content. The present study has been undertaken to consider the effect of soil moisture tension on microbiological activity, as measured by carbon dioxide evolution, under controlled conditions of incubation.