When are you measuring soil β‐glucosidase activities in cropping systems?

Abstract In situ soil respiration is driven by annual patterns of temperature and soil moisture, but what about extracellular enzyme activities responsible for depolymerizing soil organic matter? We conducted biweekly measurements of potential soil β‐glucosidase activities during a 4‐month period fr...

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Main Authors: R. Michael Lehman, Shannon L. Osborne, Patrick M. Ewing
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2024-12-01
Series:Agricultural & Environmental Letters
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1002/ael2.70002
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author R. Michael Lehman
Shannon L. Osborne
Patrick M. Ewing
author_facet R. Michael Lehman
Shannon L. Osborne
Patrick M. Ewing
author_sort R. Michael Lehman
collection DOAJ
description Abstract In situ soil respiration is driven by annual patterns of temperature and soil moisture, but what about extracellular enzyme activities responsible for depolymerizing soil organic matter? We conducted biweekly measurements of potential soil β‐glucosidase activities during a 4‐month period from March soil thawing through July in annually cropped field plots in eastern South Dakota. Our objective was to determine the best sampling time to resolve the effects of crop rotational diversity on soil microbial activities. Potential β‐glucosidase activities were elevated immediately following soil thaw, peaked in May, and declined to their lowest value in mid‐summer. Temperature and precipitation had no value in predicting enzyme activities; however, enzyme activities were affected by crop rotational diversity and responded to current crop and previous crop. These findings are pertinent to the use of soil extracellular enzymes in soil health assessments and as indicators of microbial substrate preference with implications for soil carbon stabilization.
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series Agricultural & Environmental Letters
spelling doaj-art-52f238ff7d0348629766dc30fd4fd7b92025-08-20T02:34:35ZengWileyAgricultural & Environmental Letters2471-96252024-12-0192n/an/a10.1002/ael2.70002When are you measuring soil β‐glucosidase activities in cropping systems?R. Michael Lehman0Shannon L. Osborne1Patrick M. Ewing2USDA‐ARS, North Central Agricultural Research LaboratoryBrookings South Dakota USAUSDA‐ARS, North Central Agricultural Research LaboratoryBrookings South Dakota USAUSDA‐ARS, Food Systems Research UnitBurlington Vermont USAAbstract In situ soil respiration is driven by annual patterns of temperature and soil moisture, but what about extracellular enzyme activities responsible for depolymerizing soil organic matter? We conducted biweekly measurements of potential soil β‐glucosidase activities during a 4‐month period from March soil thawing through July in annually cropped field plots in eastern South Dakota. Our objective was to determine the best sampling time to resolve the effects of crop rotational diversity on soil microbial activities. Potential β‐glucosidase activities were elevated immediately following soil thaw, peaked in May, and declined to their lowest value in mid‐summer. Temperature and precipitation had no value in predicting enzyme activities; however, enzyme activities were affected by crop rotational diversity and responded to current crop and previous crop. These findings are pertinent to the use of soil extracellular enzymes in soil health assessments and as indicators of microbial substrate preference with implications for soil carbon stabilization.https://doi.org/10.1002/ael2.70002
spellingShingle R. Michael Lehman
Shannon L. Osborne
Patrick M. Ewing
When are you measuring soil β‐glucosidase activities in cropping systems?
Agricultural & Environmental Letters
title When are you measuring soil β‐glucosidase activities in cropping systems?
title_full When are you measuring soil β‐glucosidase activities in cropping systems?
title_fullStr When are you measuring soil β‐glucosidase activities in cropping systems?
title_full_unstemmed When are you measuring soil β‐glucosidase activities in cropping systems?
title_short When are you measuring soil β‐glucosidase activities in cropping systems?
title_sort when are you measuring soil β glucosidase activities in cropping systems
url https://doi.org/10.1002/ael2.70002
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AT patrickmewing whenareyoumeasuringsoilbglucosidaseactivitiesincroppingsystems