In vitro sensitivity of forest soil enzymes to temperature increase in Western Patagonia

Abstract: Soil enzymes can be sensitive indicators of C changes in forest soils produced by global warming. This study assessed the response to temperature of soil enzymes in forest soils from the fragile cold ecosystems of Western Patagonia (Chile), to be used as indicators of the biological C emissions from the soil under climate change for this Region. Soil from two sites of Nothofagus forest were sampled (0-5 cm), and soil C mineralization (21 days of soil incubation) and the enzyme activities of N-acetyl-β-glucosaminidase (NGA, linked to C and N cycles), β-glucosidase (BG, linked to C cycle), and endo-1,4-β-glucanase (CMCase, linked to C cycle) were measured at 5°C and 20oC. Additionally, sensitivity of enzyme activities was measured at 0, 5, 10 and 20oC during experimental protocol incubation procedure, and energy activation (Ea) and Q10 parameters were calculated. At both sites, the NGA activity mirrored the microbial activity, when temperature rose from 5 ºC to 20 °C. The NGA showed Ea higher than BG, indicating that the release of N-acetyl-glucosamine was more sensitive to temperature than the release of glucose, related to BG. The results suggest the applicability of NGA as potential indicator to assess effects of global warming in forest soils from Patagonia.

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Machuca,Ángela, Córdova,Carolin, Stolpe,Neal Brian, Barrera,Juan Alberto, Chávez,Daniel, Almendras,Katerin, Bonilla,Ana María
Format: Digital revista
Language:English
Published: Chilean Society of Soil Science / Sociedad Chilena de la Ciencia del Suelo 2018
Online Access:http://www.scielo.cl/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0718-95162018000100202
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