Temporal and spatial evolution of enzymatic activities and physico-chemical

properties in an agricultural soil

M.A. Aon, A.C. Colaneri
1. Purpose
In the present study, they thoroughly analyzed the relationships between enzyme activities
representative of main soil nutrient cycles, and soil physico-chemical factors as a function
of time and space (depth). The study was performed from an initial soil status (T0) and at
two sampling times during a soybean growth cycle. Their aim was to find out:
(i) whether a specific spatio-temporal pattern of interactions exists between physico-
chemical variables and enzyme activity
(ii) which variables from the physico-chemical domain define the soil status best.
2. Materials and methods
2.1. Sampling procedure
They did a composite stratified random sampling distributed in row and inter-row
locations. The status of six enzymatic activities at two depths, D1 and D2 (D1, 510 cm;
and D2, 1520 cm), and 11 physical, and chemical variables in D1, were monitored before
plowing and seeding (T0), at the flowering stage (T1), and at the preharvest period (T2) of
soybean crop.
At T0, 14 soil samples were taken from which 11 were processed for measurement of
enzymatic activities in D1 and D2, while 7 of the 14 samples were analyzed for physico-
chemical variables in D1. When the soybean crop (T1 and T2) was present 15 soil samples
were taken (12 from rows, plus 3 from between-rows) at the same locations in both
sampling times. The 15 samples from each depth in T1 and T2, were analyzed for
enzymatic (D1 and D2) and physico-chemical variables (D1 only). Soil samples placed in
glass flasks were stored at 4C in the dark, and were processed for enzymatic and physico-
chemical variables within a week. Before use, soil samples were conditioned by passing
them through a 2 mm sieve, for all analytical determinations. Roots were excluded.
Enzyme and physico-chemical variables were analyzed in each sample in triplicate
(enzymes), and duplicate (physico-chemical), respectively.
3. Data and result
3.1. Acid phosphatase (g pNP m3 soil h1)
Sampleing time T0 T1 T2
Depth
D1 380 798 420
D2 249 544 300

General Linear Model: C1 versus Depth, Time

Factor Type Levels Values

Depth fixed 3 1, 2, 3
Time fixed 2 1, 2

Analysis of Variance for C1, using Adjusted SS for Tests

Source DF Seq SS Adj SS Adj MS F P

Depth 2 60553 60553 30277 0.76 0.568
Time 1 58608 58608 58608 1.48 0.348
Error 2 79466 79466 39733
Total 5 198627

Two-way ANOVA: C1 versus Time, Depth

Source DF SS MS F P
Time 1 58608 58608.2 1.48 0.348
Depth 2 60553 30276.5 0.76 0.568
Error 2 79466 39733.2
Total 5 198628
Since p(time) > 0.05 => time does not influence the activity of Acid phosphatase
P(depth)> 0.05 => Depth does not influence the activity of Acid phosphatase
3.2. Alkaline phosphatase (g pNP m3 soil h1)
Sampleing time T0 T1 T2
Depth
D1 325 554 103
D2 222 379 105

Two-way ANOVA: C1 versus Time, Depth

Source DF SS MS F P
Time 1 25091 25090.7 3.73 0.043
Depth 2 113662 56831.2 8.45 0.049
Error 2 13456 6728.2
Total 5 152209

S = 82.03 R-Sq = 91.16% R-Sq(adj) = 77.90%

Since both time and depth have p<0.05 => both time and depth influence activity of
Alkaline phosphatase

3.3. Dehydrogenase (g TPF m3 soil 24 h1)

Sampleing time T0 T1 T2
Depth
D1 76 93 194
D2 19 444 113

Two-way ANOVA: C1 versus Time, Depth

Source DF SS MS F P
Time 1 21720 21720.2 0.60 0.519
Depth 2 21636 10818.0 0.30 0.769
Error 2 72017 36008.7
Total 5 115374

S = 189.8 R-Sq = 37.58% R-Sq(adj) = 0.00%

Since p(time) > 0.05 => time does not influence the activity of Dehydrogenase
P(depth)> 0.05 => Depth does not influence the activity of Dehydrogenase
3.4. FDA (g fluorescein m3 soil h1)
Sampleing time T0 T1 T2
Depth
D1 5 11 8.0
D2 5 8.5 7.6

Two-way ANOVA: C1 versus Time, Depth

Source DF SS MS F P
Time 1 13.8017 13.8017 2.65 0.245
Depth 2 1.8033 0.9017 0.17 0.852
Error 2 10.4033 5.2017
Total 5 26.0083

S = 2.281 R-Sq = 60.00% R-Sq(adj) = 0.00%

Since p(time) > 0.05 => time does not influence the activity of FTA
P(depth)> 0.05 => Depth does not influence the activity of FTA