The effects of heavy metals on microbial biomass and activity in contaminated urban park soils

도시 공원의 토양에서 중금속이 미생물의 생체량과 활성에 미치는 영향

  • Kim, Ok-Kyung (Department of biology, Ewha Womans Univ) ;
  • Paul Birch (Department of bioscience, polytechnic of east London)
  • Published : 1992.06.01

Abstract

The relationship between pb, zn, cd, and the microbial biomass and activity were investigated in three public park soils of central and outer london. Variability with distance from the roadside and profile were studied. The heavey metal concentrations were the highest in hampstead heath and hyde park with high trafic density and the lowest in hainault. The highest concentrations of heavy metals were found adjacent to the roadside in the upper parts of the soil profile. Dehydrogenase activity, adenosine tri-phosphate and ergosterol contents used as indices of micrbial biomass and activity, were generally higher in hainadult, and also higher in the upper pats of the soil profile. Simple regression analysis indicated that the microbial biomass and activity were affected significantly by moisture content, water holding capacity, total organic carbon, total nitrogen, and organic mater rather than heavy metal concentration. Highest inputs of nitrogen and carbon were associated with high inputs of heavey metals, all three being derived from vehicle emissions adjacent to the road. The hyde park and hampstead heath microbial populations were able to respond to the c and n input positively by increase in biomass and activity, whereas the hainault populations could not. This rsult suggrsts adaptation in he former to heavy matals, but not in the latter.

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