EXPERIMENTAL EVALUATION OF THE EFFECT OF FEEDING-ACTIVITY OF ANIMALS ON THE AMINO-ACID CONTENT IN SOIL

We studied variation in the content of free and bound amino acids in t he litter, soil,and feces of soil-dwelling invertebrate saprophages un der laboratory conditions over a period of 12 weeks. The content of bo und amino acids in animal feces over the period of observations was 1. 5-2 times higher than in the soil and litter. Amino acids present in t he undigested remains had a higher content of transport and depot form s accessible for plants. The content of free amino acids and the flux of ammonia in animal feces decreased throughout the experiment, sugges ting that amine nitrogen is actively involved in the formation of humu s de novo. Animal feces enrich soil with amine forms of nitrogen and r epresent centers of humification of the organic material. We discuss d ifferences in amino acid levels in feces of various groups of soil inv ertebrates.