Methanotrophs in the rhizosphere of rice field ecosystems attenuate the emissions of CH(4) into the atmosphere and thus play an important role for the global cycle of this greenhouse gas. Therefore, we measured the activity and composition of the methanotrophic community in the rhizosphere of rice microcosms. Methane oxidation was determined by measuring the CH(4) flux in the presence and absen...

The distribution of phospholipid ester-linked fatty acids (PLFA) in sediments of eutrophic bays (Hiroshima Bay and Aki Nada) was studied to quantify the microbial biomass, community structure, and nutritional status. A total of 63 fatty acids in the range of C(10) to C(24) were determined. They consist of saturated fatty acids, branched fatty acids, monounsaturated fatty acids, and polyunsatura...

Phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) analysis of a soil microbial community was coupled with (13)C isotope tracer analysis to measure the community's response to addition of 35 microg of [(13)C]toluene ml of soil solution(-1). After 119 h of incubation with toluene, 96% of the incorporated (13)C was detected in only 16 of the total 59 PLFAs (27%) extracted from the soil. Of the total (13)C-enriched P...

Microbial communities are important drivers and regulators of ecosystem processes. To understand how management of ecosystems may affect microbial communities, a relatively precise but effort-intensive technique to assay microbial community composition is phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) analysis. PLFA was developed to analyze phospholipid biomarkers, which can be used as indicators of microbial ...

Rainfall in Mediterranean climates may affect soil microbial processes and communities differently in agricultural vs. grassland soils. We explored the hypothesis that land use intensification decreases the resistance of microbial community composition and activity to perturbation. Soil carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) dynamics and microbial responses to a simulated Spring rainfall were measured in ...

A laboratory experiment was carried out to investigate the response of microbial communities in acid agricultural soils located NW Iberian Peninsula presence clarithromycin. Four soils, with different organic C content and similar pH, seven concentrations clarithromycin (0.49, 1.95, 7.81, 31.25, 125, 500 2,000 mg kg −1 soil) were used, estimates made after 8 42 incubation days. The phospholipid...

Abstract The current opinion and position paper highlights (1) correct assignation of indicator phospholipid fatty acids (PLFA), (2) specificity recycling PLFA in microorganisms, (3) complete extraction detection PLFA. straight-chain 14:0, 15:0, 16:0, 17:0 occur all i.e., also fungi not only bacteria. If the phylum Actinobacteria is excluded from group Gram-positive bacteria, remaining bacteria...

The impact of long-term grassland management regimes on microbial community structure in soils was assessed using multivariate analysis of polymerase chain reaction-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (PCR-DGGE) banding patterns of selected bacterial groups and PLFA (phospholipid fatty acid) profiling. The management regimes assessed were inorganic nitrogen (N) fertiliser application and so...

Phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) analysis was used to characterise the microbial communities in the soil under long-term pre-harvest burning of sugarcane and several other land uses, and on a long-term experiment comparing sugarcane burnt before harvest and sugarcane harvested green with retention of a trash blanket. Trends in total PLFAs (total microbial biomass) followed the order: kikuyu pastu...

Linear alkylbenzene sulfonates (LAS) may occur in sewage sludge that is applied to agricultural soil, in which LAS can be inhibitory to biological activity. As a part of a broader risk assessment of LAS in the terrestrial environment, we tested the short-term effects of aqueous LAS on microbial parameters in a sandy agricultural soil that was incubated for up to 11 d. The assays included 10 mic...