THE TRANSFORMATION OF NITROUS-OXIDE BY DENITRIFYING BACTERIA IN SOLONCHAKS

The activity and biomass of denitrifying microorganisms were determine d in nine types of soils with different degrees of salinization. The d ependence between the decrease in N2O consumption and the increase in salinization is shown. The unusual character of denitrification in sal ine soils is revealed in the slower denitrification at the stage of ni trous oxide formation. For the first time, the high susceptibility of nitrous oxide reductase to saris was demonstrated on an analytically p ure culture of Bacillus subtilis sp. 2 extracted from crust solonchak. This enabled us to explain the low rate of N2O consumption in solonch aks and to consider these soils as an important natural source of nitr ous oxide.