Determination of microbial biomass-nitrogen in submerged soil

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Abstract
A large number of studies have been carried out to determine the amount of mineralizable organic nitrogen (“available N”) in the soil, which is considered to be an important pool of nitrogen available to crops. Bremner (1) reviewed the methods of estimation of the amount of the “available N.” All the methods cited in the review are empirical and are not fully concerned with the forms or chemical compounds of “available N.” Recently, many reports have been published on microbial biomass and some scientists (2) suggested that microbial biomass is a small but most active pool of bioelements including nitrogen. It is thus inferred that there must be a close relationship between the amount of “available N” and microbial biomass-N. Jenkin-son and Powlson (3) emphasized that the flush of decomposition caused by chloroform fumigation of the soil can be used as a simple method for the measurement of the soil microbial biomass in upland areas. However the technique of Jenkinson and Powlson cannot be readily applied to the submerged soil, because flood water and saturating soil solution tend to restrict rapid permeation of chloroform in the submerged soil.

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