Erratum to: “A study of the Activity and Ecological Significance of Carbonic Anydrase from Soil and Its Microbes from Different Karst Ecosystems of Southwest China”

Abstract

The origin and distribution of carbonic anhydrase (CA), which could accelerate karst processes, are explored in this paper. The soil samples used in the study were collected from four different kinds of karst ecosystems of Southwest China. The results indicate that CA activity could be detected in surface layer soils, and that CA activity varied obviously among the soils in different karst ecosystems. Of the four kinds of karst site, the mean CA activity of the surface soil in Misuga, Liupanshui, which had the lowest vegetation cover, was the lowest with 0.02 U g −1 dry soil. Nongla and Jinfu mountain, where there is abundant vegetable species diversity and dense vegetation, had higher mean CA activity in the surface soil with 3.83 U g −1 dry soil and 3.13 U g −1 dry soil, respectively. Moreover, there was certain difference in CA activities of soils among different kinds of karst landscape in the same kind of karst ecosystem. On the other hand, the higher CA activity could be detected in the soils in the vicinity of the plant roots, and CA activity in soil exhibited both obvious seasonal and vertical changes. These facts implied that plant roots and soil microorganisms might serve as important sources of CA. Besides, the results indicate that CA activity is found in bacteria, actinomycetes and fungi. Actinomycetes had higher intracellular CA activity, while fungi had higher extracellular CA activity. This study shows that higher microbial CA activities are found in Jinfu Mountain, while lower microbial CA activities are found in Misuga, Liupanshui.