Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Respiration and priming effects after fructose and alanine additions in two copper- and zinc-contaminated Australian soils

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Biology and Fertility of Soils Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The objective of the present study was to determine whether substrate-induced priming effects in soils are sensitive to increasing levels of Cu and Zn. Soils were collected from ten plots of two Australian field experiments (Spalding and Avon) where increasing amounts of Cu or Zn had been added 2 years prior to sampling, reaching maximum values of 5,880 mg kg−1 for Cu and 7,400 mg kg−1 for Zn. In a 21-day incubation experiment, the effect of uniformly 14C-labeled fructose and alanine on the mineralization of the soil organic carbon (SOC) was investigated. With increasing heavy metal content, the initial peak of soil respiration after substrate addition was retarded, indicating that the microorganisms utilizing these substrates were inhibited in soils highly contaminated with heavy metals. Both substrates strongly changed the mineralization of the soil organic matter (SOM), i.e., priming effects were induced. In the soil samples with high Cu concentrations from Spalding, fructose induced a stronger additional mineralization of the SOC than in the lower contaminated samples. In the samples with the highest Zn contamination level, negative priming effects, i.e., a reduced mineralization of SOM, were observed. In contrast, heavy metal effects in the Avon soil (pH 7.6) were less pronounced since substrate mineralization and priming effects were not directly related to the increasing heavy metal content. Apart from direct toxic heavy metal effects, the tested microbial activity parameters were also indirectly affected through the toxic heavy metal effects on plant growth. At the highest heavy metal contaminations, no fresh biomass inputs occurred during the past 2 years so that microorganisms in these soils were highly substrate-limited. As a consequence, complex interactions between different levels of heavy metal contamination, the microbial activity, and the input of SOC via plant biomass have to be considered.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Bell JM, Smith JL, Bailey VL, Bolton H (2003) Priming effect and C storage in semi-arid no-till spring crop rotations. Biol Fertil Soils 37:237–244

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Blagodatskaya EV, Kuzyakov Y (2008) Mechanisms of real and apparent priming effects and their dependence on soil microbial biomass and community structure: critical review. Biol Fertil Soils 45:115–131

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brookes PC (1995) The use of microbial parameters in monitoring soil pollution by heavy metals. Biol Fertil Soils 19:269–279

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Broos K, Mertens J, Smolders E (2005) Toxicity of heavy metals in soil assessed with various soil microbial and plant growth assays: a comparative study. Environ Toxicol Chem 24:634–640

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Broos K, Macdonald LM, Warne MSJ, Heemsbergen DA (2007a) Limitations of soil microbial biomass carbon as an indicator of soil pollution in the field. Soil Biol Biochem 39:2693–2695

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Broos K, Warne MSJ, Heemsbergen DA, Stevens D, Barnes MB, Correll RL, McLaughlin MJ (2007b) Soil factors controlling the toxicity of copper and zinc to microbial processes in Australian soils. Environ Toxicol Chem 26:583–590

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chander K, Brookes PC (1991) Microbial biomass dynamics during the decomposition of glucose and maize in metal-contaminated and non-contaminated soils. Soil Biol Biochem 23:917–925

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chander K, Joergensen RG (2001) Decomposition of 14C glucose in two soils with different amounts of heavy metal contamination. Soil Biol Biochem 33:1811–1816

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Coleman DC, Corbin FT (1991) Introduction and ordinary counting as currently used. In: Coleman DC, Corbin FT (eds) Carbon isotope techniques. Academic, San Diego, pp 3–9

    Google Scholar 

  • Dalenberg JW, Jager G (1989) Priming effect of some organic additions to 14C-labelled soil. Soil Biol Biochem 21:443–448

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • De Nobili M, Contin M, Mondini C, Brookes PC (2001) Soil microbial biomass is triggered into activity by trace amounts of substrate. Soil Biol Biochem 33:1163–1170

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Doelman P, Haanstra L (1984) Short-term and long-term effects of cadmium, chromium, copper, nickel, lead and zinc on soil microbial respiration in relation to abiotic soil factors. Plant Soil 79:317–327

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Giller KE, Witter E, McGrath SP (1998) Toxicity of heavy metals to microorganisms and microbial processes in agricultural soils: a review. Soil Biol Biochem 30:1389–1414

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Giller KE, Witter E, McGrath SP (2009) Heavy metals and soil microbes. Soil Biol Biochem 41:2031–2037

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hamer U, Marschner B (2005a) Priming effects in different soil types induced by fructose, alanine, oxalic acid and catechol additions. Soil Biol Biochem 37:445–454

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hamer U, Marschner B (2005b) Priming effects in soils after combined and repeated substrate additions. Geoderma 128:38–51

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Heemsbergen DA, Warne MSJ, Broos K, Bell M, Nash D, McLaughlin MJ, Whatmuff MS, Barry G, Pritchard D, Penney N (2009) Application of phytotoxicity data to a new Australian soil quality guideline framework for biosolids. Sci Total Environ 407:2546–2556

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Houba VJG, Temminghoff EJM, Gaikhorst GA, van Vark W (2000) Soil analysis procedures using 0.01 M calcium chloride as extraction reagent. Commun Soil Sci Plant Anal 31:1299–1396

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Isbell RF (1996) The Australian soil classification. CSIRO Publishing, Collingwood

    Google Scholar 

  • IUSS Working Group WRB (2006) World Reference Base for Soil Resources 2006. World Soil Resources Report No. 103. FAO, Rome

    Google Scholar 

  • Jüschke E (2009) Effluent irrigation and agricultural soils—effects on the dynamics of organic carbon and microbial activity in agricultural soils in Israel. Verlag Dr Kovač, Hamburg

    Google Scholar 

  • Kuzyakov Y, Bol R (2006) Sources and mechanisms of priming effect induced in two grassland soils amended with slurry and sugar. Soil Biol Biochem 38:747–758

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kuzyakov Y, Friedel JK, Stahr K (2000) Review of mechanisms and quantification of priming effects. Soil Biol Biochem 32:1485–1498

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Leifeld J, Siebert S, Kögel-Knabner I (2002) Biological activity and organic matter mineralization of soils amended with biowaste composts. J Plant Nutr Soil Sci 165:151–159

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Li Y-T, Rouland C, Benedetti M, F-b L, Pando A, Lavelle P, Dai J (2009) Microbial biomass, enzyme and mineralization activity in relation to soil organic C, N and P turnover influenced by acid metal stress. Soil Biol Biochem 41:969–977

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Liang BC, Gregorich EG, MacKenzie AF (1999) Short-term mineralization of maize residues in soils as determined by carbon-13 natural abundance. Plant Soil 208:227–232

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • McGrath SP, Chaudri AM, Giller KE (1995) Long-term effects of metals in sewage sludge on soils, microorganisms and plants. J Ind Microbiol Biotechnol 14:94–104

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • McLaughlin MJ, Hamon RE, McLaren RG, Speir TW, Rogers SL (2000) Review: A bioavailability-based rationale for controlling metal and metalloid contamination of agricultural land in Australia and New Zealand. Aus J Soil Res 38:1037–1086

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • McLaughlin MJ, Whatmuff MS, Warne MSJ, Heemsbergen D, Barry G, Bell M, Pritchard D (2006) A field investigation of solubility and food chain accumulation of biosolid-cadmium across diverse soil types. Environ Chem 3:428–432

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Nordgren A, Bååth E, Söderström B (1988) Evaluation of soil respiration characteristics to assess heavy metal effects on soil microorganisms using glutamic acid as a substrate. Soil Biol Biochem 20:949–954

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ohm H, Hamer U, Marschner B (2007) Priming effects in soil size fractions of a podzol Bs horizon after addition of fructose and alanine. J Plant Nutr Soil Sci 170:551–559

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Smolders E, Buekers J, Oliver I, McLaughlin MJ (2004) Soil properties affecting toxicity of zinc to soil microbial properties in laboratory-spiked and field-contaminated soils. Environ Toxicol Chem 23:2633–2640

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Verma L, Martin JP, Haider K (1975) Decomposition of carbon-14-labeled proteins, peptides, and amino acids; free and complexed with humic polymers. Soil Sci Soc Am J 39:279–284

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wakelin S, Chu G, Broos K, Clarke K, Liang Y, McLaughlin M (2010) Structural and functional response of soil microbiota to addition of plant substrate are moderated by soil Cu levels. Biol Fertil Soils 46:333–342

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Warne MSJ, Heemsbergen D, McLaughlin M, Bell M, Broos K, Whatmuff M, Barry G, Nash D, Pritchard D, Penney N (2008a) Models for the field-based toxicity of copper and zinc salts to wheat in 11 Australian soils and comparison to laboratory-based models. Environ Pollut 156:707–714

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Warne MSJ, Heemsbergen D, Stevens D, McLaughlin M, Cozens G, Whatmuff M, Broos K, Barry G, Bell M, Nash D, Pritchard D, Penney N (2008b) Modeling the toxicity of copper and zinc salts to wheat in 14 soils. Environ Toxicol Chem 27:786–792

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

The authors gratefully acknowledge the National Biosolids Research Program (NBRP) for providing the soil samples and data. This project was financially supported by the German Foundation of Research (DFG) within the priority programme 1090 “Soils as source and sink of CO2—mechanisms and regulation of organic matter stabilisation in soils”.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Soil Science/Soil Ecology, Institute of Geography, Ruhr-University Bochum, 44780, Bochum, Germany

    Heike Ohm & Bernd Marschner

  2. VITO-Flemish Institute for Technological Research, 2400, Mol, Belgium

    Kris Broos

Authors
  1. Heike Ohm
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Bernd Marschner
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Kris Broos
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Heike Ohm.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Ohm, H., Marschner, B. & Broos, K. Respiration and priming effects after fructose and alanine additions in two copper- and zinc-contaminated Australian soils. Biol Fertil Soils 47, 523–532 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00374-011-0566-0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00374-011-0566-0

Keywords

Search

Navigation