Abstract
Streptomycin and cycloheximide were added (3 and 2 mg g-1 dry soil, respectively) single and in combination to a forest soil to follow their possible degradation and their effects on soil mineralization-immobilization processes. After 0, 1, 2, 4, 7, and 10 days of incubation at 25°C and 60% water-holding capacity, measurements were taken of microbial biomass C and N, the evolution of CO2, exchangeable NH sup+inf4 , 0.5M K2SO4-extractable organic C, and total N in both unfumigated and CHCl3-fumigated soil. The results indicated that during the first 2 days of incubation, soil microorganisms were killed by the antibiotics and/or by CHCl3 and used subsequently as a substrate by the survivors. Thereafter, surviving microorganisms probably also started to use biocidal molecules as an energy and nutrient source. The ratios of biomass C to biomass N and of CO2 evolved to net NH sup+inf4 produced indicated that both biocides had non-target effects for most of the incubation. Thus, streptomycin and cycloheximide are not suitable in determining the relative contribution from fungi and bacteria to mineralization-immobilization processes in soils.
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Badalucco, L., Pomaré, F., Grego, S. et al. Activity and degradation of streptomycin and cycloheximide in soil. Biol Fert Soils 18, 334–340 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00570637
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00570637