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Hydrologic Tracer Effects on Soil Microbial Activities
Author(s) -
Groffman Peter M.,
Gold Arthur J.,
Howard Galen
Publication year - 1995
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/sssaj1995.03615995005900020030x
Subject(s) - environmental chemistry , denitrification , tracer , mineralization (soil science) , chemistry , nitrification , soil respiration , chloride , respiration , soil water , pollutant , environmental science , soil science , nitrogen , botany , biology , physics , organic chemistry , nuclear physics
While much research has shown that the commonly used hydrologic tracers Br − , Cl − , and pentafluorobenzoic acid (PFBA) are not affected by soil microbial processes, much less work has gone into analysis of the effects of these tracers on microbial activity. In this study, we analyzed the effects of Br − , Cl − , and PFBA at 100 mg kg −1 concentration on soil respiration, denitrification, N mineralization, and nitrification in a forest soil under laboratory conditions. Chloride and Br − inhibited all activities other than denitrification and PFBA stimulated respiration and denitrification. Mechanisms for the observed effects may be related to the effects of these anion tracers on soil solution cation activities and microbial membrane processes. The results suggest that effects on microbial activities should be considered when tracers are used in studies of the fate and transport of pollutants that are affected by microbial processes.