Extractable N and P in relation to microbial biomass in UK acid organic soils

Abstract

Samples of peat and mor humus were treated with CHCl3 to kill microbial cells and the amounts of C as CO2, N as soluble- and mineral-N, and P as inorganic-P released by the treatment were compared with estimates of the microbial biomass by the Anderson and Domsch test and ATP determination. Increased amounts of soluble-N and inorganic-P, extracted with 1M KCl and 0.01M CaCl2 respectively, were detected immediately after the fumigation treatment. However, the subsequent rates of production of CO2−C and mineral-N measured during a 10-day incubation period at 25°C were low and variable, resulting in anomalously low estimates of microbial biomass. The flush of inorganic-P was more consistent and, in mor humus, generally related to biomass-C as measured by the Anderson and Domsch test.