S. Sarig et Y. Steinberger, MICROBIAL BIOMASS RESPONSE TO SEASONAL FLUCTUATION IN SOIL-SALINITY UNDER THE CANOPY OF DESERT HALOPHYTES, Soil biology & biochemistry, 26(10), 1994, pp. 1405-1408
The relationships between seasonal changes in soil salinity and the mi
crobial biomass and activity (represented by the quotient For basal re
spiration-qCO(2)) were monitored year-round under the canopy of two ha
lophytes; Zygophyllum dumosum and Reaumuria negevensis, typical of the
hot, dry Negev Desert. Fluctuations in soil salinity were assumed to
be the result of different ecophysiological strategics employed by the
halophytes in order to survive in saline environments. The amount of
the microbial biomass was not directly affected by the degree of soil
salinity, especially in the R. negevensis microhabitat where the highe
st biomass (245 mu g g(-1)) was observed in high salty soil (12.8 dS m
(-1)) during the summer. A negative relationship was found between the
microbial biomass and qCO(2) values, indicating the possibility of ch
anneling organic substrates to metabolic activity aimed at overcoming
conditions of temporary stress.