AUTHOR=Lipiec Jerzy , Frąc Magdalena , Brzezińska Małgorzata , Turski Marcin , Oszust Karolina TITLE=Linking Microbial Enzymatic Activities and Functional Diversity of Soil around Earthworm Burrows and Casts JOURNAL=Frontiers in Microbiology VOLUME=7 YEAR=2016 URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/microbiology/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2016.01361 DOI=10.3389/fmicb.2016.01361 ISSN=1664-302X ABSTRACT=
The aim of this work was to evaluate the effect of earthworms (Lumbricidae) on the enzymatic activity and microbial functional diversity in the burrow system [burrow wall (BW) 0–3 mm, transitional zone (TZ) 3–7 mm, bulk soil (BS) > 20 mm from the BW] and cast aggregates of a loess soil under a pear orchard. The dehydrogenase, β-glucosidase, protease, alkaline phosphomonoesterase, and acid phosphomonoesterase enzymes were assessed using standard methods. The functional diversity (catabolic potential) was assessed using the Average Well Color Development and Richness Index following the community level physiological profiling from Biolog Eco Plates. All measurements were done using soil from each compartment immediately after