Aluminum complexation suppresses citrate uptake by acid forest soil microorganisms

Abstract

Organo-mineral interactions have been hypothesized to play a major role in biogeochemical cycling and pedogenesis in some forest soils. These processes are likely to be controlled to some extent by their persistence in soil, however, the factors regulating their bioavailability remain poorly understood. Therefore, we investigated the microbial utilization of C-14-labeled citrate in glass bead filled bioreactors containing a biofilm developed from an inoculum from an acid forest soil. The removal of Al-citrate in the bioreactors was negligible compared to the rate of citrate removal in the absence of Al. There was no evidence that in the short-term the microbial community adapted to increase the utilization of Al-citrate. In bioreactors filled with a Picea abies forest soil (Haplic Arenosol) the rates of citrate utilization were always slightly higher than that of At-citrate. We conclude that complexation of citrate by metals such as Al may have a significant effect on their role in soil biogeochemical cycles. (C) 2003 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Keywords

aluminium; biodegradation; citric acid; forest soil; mineralization; organic acids

Published in

Soil Biology and Biochemistry
2004, volume: 36, number: 2, pages: 353-357
Publisher: PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD

SLU Authors

• Fransson, Ann-Mari

  • Lund University

UKÄ Subject classification

Soil Science

Publication identifier

• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soilbio.2003.09.015

Permanent link to this page (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/51826