Soil Biological Temporal Variability as Functions of Physiochemical States and Soil Disturbance

Abstract

Within our ecosystems, soil biota control an array of functions, such as nutrient cycling and decomposition, and have been pursued as a soil quality indicator. Though microbial communities are known to be a reflection of their environment, small scales dynamics within an agricultural system have been overlooked for many years leading to gaps when inferring on relative microbial values. To further asses our current microbial knowledge, two experiments analyzing microbial phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) structures and enzyme activities sought out to determine temporal fluctuations, cycles, and driving force behind simulated daily microbial parameter outputs. Across both studies, temporal effects, cyclical structures, and common driving forces were recorded, but further validation and characterization is needed to solidify the temporal dynamics of the microbial community. Overall, this information serves as a valuable step towards determining the most viable tillage systems based on environmental conditions, and physical proof of small scale microbial fluctuations.