Sr. Joshi et al., MICROBIAL ENZYME-ACTIVITIES RELATED TO LITTER DECOMPOSITION NEAR A HIGHWAY IN A SUBTROPICAL FOREST OF NORTH-EAST INDIA, Soil biology & biochemistry, 25(12), 1993, pp. 1763-1770
Cellulose, amylase and invertase activities were studied in extracts o
f leaf litters of Alnus nepalensis and Pinus kesiya during litter deco
mposition at a roadside (more polluted) and a non-roadside (less pollu
ted) forest stand. Enzyme activities were considerably higher in litte
r at the less polluted than at the more polluted site. Cellulase and a
mylase activities showed a marked seasonal variation at both sites. Ce
llulase and amylase activities increased during litter decomposition,
whereas invertase activity was higher at the begining of litter decomp
osition. Invertase activity correlated positively with litter soluble
sugars. Cellulase and amylase activities, but not invertase activity,
were correlated significantly with numbers of fungi and bacteria.