Pattern of enzyme activities of typical coniferous forest soils along the North-South Transect of Eastern China

Abstract

Soil organic carbon ( SOC) is the largest terrestrial pool of carbon, and the amount of carbon in soils represents about two thirds of total ecosystem. Therefore, any change in the size and turnover rate of SOC pools will potentially alter the atmospheric CO 2 concentration and the subsequent global climate. Soil enzymes are involved in a series of catalyzing reactions and play pivotal roles in litter and soil organic matter decomposition as well as nutrient cycling in terrestrial ecosystems. Soil enzyme activity can be used as a proxy for plant and microbial substrate availability, the interference between soil ecosystem and external environment, and microbial community structure and metabolic capabilities. Therefore,