Showing papers by "Jan Kucharski published in 2014"

Responses of microorganisms and enzymes to soil contamination with metazachlor

Abstract: A greenhouse pot experiment was conducted at the University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, with the aim of describing the influence of metazachlor on counts and biodiversity of soil microorganisms, soil enzymatic activity, physicochemical properties of soil and yield of spring oilseed rape. The first experimental factor was soil contamination with increasing rates of metazachlor: 0 (soil without the herbicide), 0.333 (recommended by the manufacturer), 6.666, 13.332, 26.665, 53.328, 106.656 and 213.312 mg kg−1 dm of soil, while the second factor comprised two dates of determination: 30 and 60 days after starting the experiment. The tested herbicide had an adverse effect on reproduction of all analyzed microorganisms: oligotrophic bacteria and their endospore forms, Azotobacter spp. bacteria, organotrophic bacteria, actinomycetes and fungi. The values of the colony development and eco-physiological diversity indices decreased under the influence of excessive doses of the herbicide. Also, significant fluctuation in the enzymatic activity of soil was observed in response to the higher doses of metazachlor and depending on the date of determinations. The herbicide had an invariably negative influence on the activity of soil enzymes, causing the inhibition of dehydrogenases, catalase, urease, acid phosphatase, alkaline phosphatase, arylsulfatase and β-glucosidase. The physicochemical status of soil depended significantly on the degree of soil contamination with the herbicide, same as the yield of spring oilseed rape.

Activity of Arylsulphatase in Soil Contaminated with Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons.

Abstract: An experiment has been performed to determine the activity of arylsulphatase in soil submitted to pressure of four polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons: naphthalene, phenanthrene, anthracene, and pyrene, in the amount of: 0, 1,000, 2,000, and 4,000 mg kg−1 dm of soil. Soil samples were also applied some organic substances, such as: cellulose, sucrose, and compost, in the amount of 0 and 9 g kg−1 dm of soil. The experiment was run under laboratory conditions. It was established on soil which belonged to loamy sand. The soil resistance (RS) and resilience (RL) indices were computed. It has been discovered that the PAHs stimulated arylsulphatase activity, with anthracene raising the activity of the enzyme to the highest degree. The activity of arysulphatase depended significantly on the dose of a PAH, duration of pressure, and type of organic substances added to soil. The highest resistance (RS) was determined in soil exposed to phenanthrene, and the lowest one—in soil polluted with pyrene. Low values of the RL index prove that polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons cause lasting disorders in the activity of arylsulphatase.

Response of microorganisms and enzymes to soil contamination with the herbicide Successor T 550 SE

Abstract: The study has been made to determine the effect of soil contamination with a new generation herbicide on the abundance and diversity of microorganisms, activity of soil enzymes and their tolerance to the herbicide Successor T 550 SE. Herbicide disturbed the biological balance of soil as expressed by the numbers and diversity of microorganisms and enzymatic activity. The recommended dose of herbicide significantly stimulated the growth of total oligotrophic and organotrophic bacteria as well as actinomycetes, depressed the activity of fungi and had no effect on oligotrophic sporulating bacteria and Azotobacter.

Response of Fungi, ß-Glucosidase, and Arylsulfatase to Soil Contamination by Alister Grande 190 OD, Fuego 500 SC, and Lumax 537.5 SE Herbicides

Abstract: This paper describes the response of fungi as well as β-glucosidase and arylsulfatase to soil contamination with the herbicides Alister Grande 190 OD, Fuego 500 SC, and Lumax 537.5 SE in the following doses: 1 – recommended dose, and doses 20-, 40-, 80-, and 160-fold higher than the recommended one. A laboratory experiment in three replicates was conducted on sandy loam of the pHKCl – 7.0. The results have indicated that counts of fungi increased under the influence of excessive quantities of the tested herbicides. Irrespective of herbicide type, EP decreased while CD increased at higher contamination doses. With respect to the enzymes, the herbicides were observed to have exerted a negative effect on the activity of arylsulfatase, which was verified by the negative correlation coefficients. However, the activity of β-glucosidase increased after the soil had been enriched with excessive amounts of the herbicides. The RS index for the activity of the enzymes varied, but reached the highest value in soil with Alister Grande 190 OD for both β-glucosidase (0.953) and arylsulfatase (0.567). The contamination of soil with the herbicides caused lasting changes in sandy loam, but the recovery of the enzyme β-glucosidase was faster (the average RL ranged from 0.458 to 0.889). The index of resilience for arylsulfatase was negative, which proves that the adverse effect of all the herbicides on this enzyme was growing.

Response microorganisms to soil contamination with heavy metals

Abstract: The main aim of our work was to evaluate the effect that the soil contamination with zinc, copper and cadmium has on the number of (CFU)Azotobacter, organotrophic bacteria and Streptomyces. The results of the experiment revealed their role in the CFU modification and the impact on the level of soil contamination with heavy metals. Organotrophic bacteria have a similar tolerance to the heavy metals as Streptomyces, since the lowest resistance characterizes the Azotobacter. The toxicity of the examined heavy metals can be ranked as follows (from the most sensitive to the least): Azotobacter>organotrophic bacteria>Streptomyces. It can be concluded that the succession of the microorganuisms is determined by the soil fertility, which stimulates both the characteristics and biochemical transformations, that occur in it through the mechanisms involved in reducing the negative impact of the heavy metals on the number of microorganisms.