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

• Autores: Angela Machuca H., Carolin Córdova, Neal Brian Stolpe, Juan Alberto Barrera, Daniel Chávez, Katerin Almendras, Ana María Bonilla
• Localización: Journal of soil science and plant nutrition, ISSN-e 0718-9516, ISSN 0718-9508, Vol. 18, Nº. 1, 2018, págs. 202-219
• Idioma: inglés
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• Resumen

  • 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.