| Abstract: | A field method for the measurement of substrate‐induced soil respiration A novel method for in situ measurements of microbial soil activity using the CO2 efflux combined with kinetic analysis is proposed. The results are compared with two conventional, laboratory methods, (1) substrate‐induced respiration using a ’︁Sapromat’ and (2) dehydrogenase activity. Soil respiration was measured in situ after addition of aqueous solutions containing 0 to 6 g glucose kg—1 soil. The respiration data were analysed using kinetic models to describe the nutritional status of the soil bacteria employing few representative parameters. The two‐phase soil respiration response gave best fit results with the Hanes' or non‐parametric kinetic model with Michaelis‐Menten constants (Km) of 0.05—0.1 g glucose kg—1 soil. The maximum respiration rates (Vmax) were obtained above 1 g glucose. Substrate‐induced respiration rates of the novel in situ method were significantly correlated to results of the ’︁Sapromat’ measurements (r2 = 0.81***). The in situ method combined with kinetic analysis was suitable for the characterisation of microbial activity in soil; it showed respiration rates lower by 59% than measured in the laboratory with disturbed samples. |
