Determination of the Mechanism Through Which Activated Charcoal Amendment of Soils Impacts Soil Microbial Community Catabolic Activity
Location
CSU Ballroom
Start Date
28-4-2009 10:00 AM
End Date
28-4-2009 12:00 PM
Student's Major
Biological Sciences
Student's College
Science, Engineering and Technology
Mentor's Name
Timothy Secott
Mentor's Department
Biological Sciences
Mentor's College
Science, Engineering and Technology
Description
Many invasive species exhibit a trait termed allelopathy, in which those species secrete noxious chemicals (allelochemicals) that inhibit the growth of native plant species. Typically, researchers have amended soils with charcoal as a means to adsorb allelochemicals. However, research in our lab has shown that amendment of soil with charcoal affects microbial communities present in those soils. This study was designed to determine whether the effect of charcoal amendment on soil microbes resulted fi-om a change in the physical porosity of the soil, or the adsorptive capability of charcoal. Sterile soils were amended with activated charcoal or ceramic microspheres, or left unamended, and were passively inoculated with greenhouse microflora for 45 days. Samples were collected at days 15, 30, and 45, and microbial communities present in the soil were tested for carbon source utilization (CLSU) by using BIOLOG plates. CLSU patterns were analyzed using PC-ORD analysis. Analyses of soils collected at later timepoints are pending. Preliminary analysis at day 15 indicated that the microbial communities differed between amended and unamended soils. However, CLSU patterns for glass microsphere- and activated charcoal-amended soils were similar. This indicated that by day 15, the effects of activated charcoal amendment appeared to be due to the physical porosity of the charcoal itself.
Determination of the Mechanism Through Which Activated Charcoal Amendment of Soils Impacts Soil Microbial Community Catabolic Activity
CSU Ballroom
Many invasive species exhibit a trait termed allelopathy, in which those species secrete noxious chemicals (allelochemicals) that inhibit the growth of native plant species. Typically, researchers have amended soils with charcoal as a means to adsorb allelochemicals. However, research in our lab has shown that amendment of soil with charcoal affects microbial communities present in those soils. This study was designed to determine whether the effect of charcoal amendment on soil microbes resulted fi-om a change in the physical porosity of the soil, or the adsorptive capability of charcoal. Sterile soils were amended with activated charcoal or ceramic microspheres, or left unamended, and were passively inoculated with greenhouse microflora for 45 days. Samples were collected at days 15, 30, and 45, and microbial communities present in the soil were tested for carbon source utilization (CLSU) by using BIOLOG plates. CLSU patterns were analyzed using PC-ORD analysis. Analyses of soils collected at later timepoints are pending. Preliminary analysis at day 15 indicated that the microbial communities differed between amended and unamended soils. However, CLSU patterns for glass microsphere- and activated charcoal-amended soils were similar. This indicated that by day 15, the effects of activated charcoal amendment appeared to be due to the physical porosity of the charcoal itself.
Recommended Citation
Mely, Adam. "Determination of the Mechanism Through Which Activated Charcoal Amendment of Soils Impacts Soil Microbial Community Catabolic Activity." Undergraduate Research Symposium, Mankato, MN, April 28, 2009.
https://cornerstone.lib.mnsu.edu/urs/2009/poster-session-C/8
