Dehydrogenase Activity Response to Soil Reoxidation Process Described as Varied Conditions of Water Potential, Air Porosity and Oxygen Availability.

This paper analyzes the effects of soil reoxidation, expressed in terms of water potential (pF), air porosity (Eg) and oxygen availability (ODR), on soil dehydrogenase activity (DHA). Investigated soil samples were collected from the surface layer (0-20 cm) and subsoil (50-60 cm) of Rendzina Leptosols, Eutric Histosol and Eutric Fluvisol soils. All the examined factors varied widely in the tested material - DHA decreased whereas ODR and Eg increased with higher soil water tension. A close relationship, described by significant negative correlations between oxygenation indicators (pF, ODR, Eg) and DHA, was stated. To sum up the foregoing observations, we confirmed that dehydrogenases are sensitive enzymes, indirectly dependent on soil aeration status. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]