Comparative characterization of microbial communities in kurgans, paleosols buried under them, and background surface soils in the steppe zone of the Lower Volga region

Abstract

A comparative analysis of the state of microbial communities in kurgans, paleosols buried under them, and background surface soils in the dry steppe zone of the Lower Volga region has been performed. It is shown that the population density of microorganisms of various trophic groups in the kurgans is an order of magnitude lower than that in the A1 horizon of the corresponding buried paleosols and background surface soils within the areas of chestnut, light chestnut, and solonetzic soils. The respiration activity of the microbial communities in the upper layer of the kurgans is comparable with that in the A1 horizons of the background surface soils; it decreases in the deeper layers of the kurgans. In the A1 horizon of the buried paleosols, the respiration activity is approximately the same as in the deep layers of the kurgans. In the buried paleosols, the spatial variability in the numbers of soil microorganisms is approximately the same or somewhat higher than that in the background surface soils. The spatial variability in the respiration activity of the buried paleosols is two to four times higher than that in the background surface soils.