Sample storage for soil enzyme activity and bacterial community profiles

Drying-induced changes in phosphorus status of soils with contrasting soil organic matter contents – Implications for laboratory approaches

“…Based on the cited literature, we assume that the microbial biomass and its activity can be correctly estimated from dried-rewetted soil samples, provided that a recovery incubation period of at least two weeks is performed before any analysis. Conversely, and still based on the literature, we conclude that such a recovery period may be insufficient to study more specific properties of the soil microflora, like functional and structural profiling (DNA, enzymes, FAME, fungi/bacteria ratio; Gordon et al, 2008;Lee et al, 2007;Pesaro et al, 2004;Wallenius et al, 2010). Both conclusions may require further investigations to be confirmed for a larger range of soil and land-use types.…”

Soil property and management effects on grassland microbial communities across a latitudinal gradient in Germany

“…This allowed us a comparison between sampling regions since all samples were collected under similar weather conditions. Previous work determined only small effects on enzyme activities as a result of freezing samples (DeForest, 2009;Wallenius et al, 2010;Abellan et al, 2011). The activities of ␤-glucosidase, ␤-xylosidase, ␣-glucosidase, Nacetyl-glucosaminidase, l-aminopeptidase and phosphatase were measured according to the method of Marx et al (2001).…”

Monoterpenes and higher terpenes may inhibit enzyme activities in boreal forest soil

“…The bottles were then stored at À20 C, until analysis. According to Wallenius et al (2010), the freezing of soil samples retains the enzyme activity and structure of the bacterial community relatively well.…”