Researchers from Japan have achieved an incredible advancement in soil science, according to a summary posted on Phys.org.
Japanese researchers created a new method to estimate microbial biomass (the total mass of living microorganisms in soil, primarily fungi and bacteria) from air-dried soils. This method utilizes water-extractable organic matter (WEOM), eliminating the need for toxic solvents, which have been the norm. The team's innovative method also makes the estimation process simpler.
Researchers from Anhui Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Niigata University, Japan Atomic Energy Agency, and Kyushu University studied 50 soil samples taken from diverse regions across Japan to evaluate the relationship between microbial biomass and WEOM measurements.
Focusing on carbon content, they found a strong correlation between the microbial biomass carbon and WEOM carbon, indicating that WEOM can be used to estimate carbon content for microbial biomass reliably. Knowing the amount of carbon is vital for understanding how the ecosystem in which the soil resides is functioning, as well as the soil's health.
The study also focused on nitrogen content, but found the correlation between microbial biomass nitrogen and WEOM nitrogen was weaker than that of the carbon. Researchers attributed this to the differences in inorganic nitrogen compounds present in the soil.
The results of this study showed that utilizing WEOM to estimate microbial biomass not only meant the process could be used in places where toxic chemicals are restricted or banned, but also that WEOM could be applied for air-dried soil samples if fresh soil wasn't available. This means that this innovative new approach could rapidly advance the creation of large datasets, as estimating microbial biomass would become more practical and accessible.
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Utilizing this newly developed method also creates a pathway for better sustainable practices in agriculture and environmental research, contributing to the larger sustainability goal of cleaning up the agriculture and food industries.
Because this method eliminates the use of hazardous chemicals found in traditional methods, it helps curb pollution by reducing the amount of toxic substances in the soil. As a result, communities where researchers are testing the soil will be safer and healthier.
Prof. Syuntaro Hiradate, one of the researchers from the team, said in the Phys.org summary, "The ability to estimate microbial biomass without the need for fresh samples or toxic solvents opens new avenues for research in remote or sensitive environments. This could lead to a better understanding of microbial roles in various ecosystems and inform conservation efforts."
However, while this newly developed method is a significant step forward towards a safer, more efficient, and more sustainable way to estimate microbial biomass, the research team pointed out that more research and further validation are needed to confirm its potential usefulness.
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