Characteristics of microbial biomass carbon and respiration activities in arable soil and pasture grassland soil

The aim of our work was to survey and state the representative values and range of the microbial biomass carbon (Cmic) and microbial respiration activities in arable soils of three types (Chernozem, Luvisol, Planosol) and in pasture grassland soil (Cambisol). In arable soils no significant differences between the soil types were found concerning the content of Cmic. Way of soil use significantly influenced Cmic with higher values on pasture grassland soil. In Cambisol, a relatively strong relationships between Cmic and Corg (r = 0.919) as well as between Cmic and Ntot (r = 0.922) were determined. The basal respiration (BR) was no affected neither by a soil type nor by a way of soil use. On all monitored sites microbes responded positively to the addition of glucose (potential respiration - PR), but the strongest response was observed on the soil types with good mineralisation ability, such as Chernozems and Luvisols. On pasture grassland soil, the substrate availability index (PR/BR) with values of 2.32 was observed, which is lower compared to 7.60 of arable soil. This fact to indicate that pasture grassland soil had more easy decomposable organic compounds than arable soils.