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Increased Soil Enzyme Activities under Two Row Crops
Author(s) -
Bergstrom D. W.,
Monreal C. M.
Publication year - 1998
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/sssaj1998.03615995006200050021x
Subject(s) - transect , arylsulfatase , enzyme assay , gleysol , urease , agronomy , soil test , crop , soil water , biology , enzyme , ecology , biochemistry
This study examined the influence of crop on the spatial pattern of soil enzyme activities in a Rego Humic Gleysol (Aquoll) strip‐cropped to corn ( Zea mays L.) and soybean [ Glycine max (L.) Merr.]. Soil samples (0–23‐cm depth) were collected at 20‐cm spacings along transects across adjacent plant rows. Activities of dehydrogenase, urease, glutaminase, phosphatase, arylsulfatase, and β‐glucosidase were compared for soil samples collected from within vs. between crop rows. Spectral analysis was used to test for a cyclical pattern of soil enzyme activities along transects. The spatial pattern of all six soil enzyme activities was sometimes influenced by the crop. Greater enzyme activity in the row than in the furrow was observed in approximately one‐third of the cases examined. In approximately two‐thirds of the cases where the class comparison indicated greater enzyme activity in the row than in the furrow, enzyme activity appeared to cycle at a period equal to the row spacing. Periodograms also indicated cycling at other periods, and there was considerable random variation in enzyme activities along the transects. Dehydrogenase and β‐glucosidase activities differed between strips of corn and soybean on some sampling dates. The spatial pattern of soil enzyme activities indicated that they behaved similarly as general indices of microbial activity at the scale of measurement. Comparisons of soil enzyme activities between sites within the growing season should account for influence of the crop.