Estimating phosphorus availability for microbial growth in an emerging landscape
Geoderma
By: S.K. Schmidt, C.C. Cleveland, D.R. Nemergut, S.C. Reed, A.J. King, and P. Sowell
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Abstract
Estimating phosphorus (P) availability is difficult—particularly in infertile soils such as those exposed after glacial recession—because standard P extraction methods may not mimic biological acquisition pathways. We developed an approach, based on microbial CO2 production kinetics and conserved carbon:phosphorus (C:P) ratios, to estimate the amount of P available for microbial growth in soils and compared this method to traditional, operationally-defined indicators of P availability. Along a primary succession gradient in the High Andes of Perú, P additions stimulated the growth-related (logistic) kinetics of glutamate mineralization in soils that had been deglaciated from 0 to 5 years suggesting that microbial growth was limited by soil P availability. We then used a logistic model to estimate the amount of C incorporated into biomass in P-limited soils, allowing us to estimate total microbial P uptake based on a conservative C:P ratio of 28:1 (mass:mass). Using this approach, we estimated that there was < 1 μg/g of microbial-available P in recently de-glaciated soils in both years of this study. These estimates fell well below estimates of available soil P obtained using traditional extraction procedures. Our results give both theoretical and practical insights into the kinetics of C and P utilization in young soils, as well as show changes in microbial P availability during early stages of soil development.
Suggested Citation
Schmidt, S., Cleveland, C., Nemergut, D., Reed, S., King, A., Sowell, P., 2011, Estimating phosphorus availability for microbial growth in an emerging landscape: Geoderma, v. 163, no. 1-2, p. 135-140, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geoderma.2011.04.014.
| Publication type | Article |
|---|---|
| Publication Subtype | Journal Article |
| Title | Estimating phosphorus availability for microbial growth in an emerging landscape |
| Series title | Geoderma |
| DOI | 10.1016/j.geoderma.2011.04.014 |
| Volume | 163 |
| Issue | 1-2 |
| Year Published | 2011 |
| Language | English |
| Publisher | Elsevier |
| Contributing office(s) | Southwest Biological Science Center |
| Description | 6 p. |
| Larger Work Type | Article |
| Larger Work Subtype | Journal Article |
| Larger Work Title | Geoderma |
| First page | 135 |
| Last page | 140 |