Capacity of fatty acid profiles and substrate utilization patterns to describe differences in soil microbial communities associated with increased salinity or alkalinity at three locations in South Australia

Fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) profiles, together with Biolog substrate utilization patterns, were used in conjunction with measurements of other soil chemical and microbiological properties to describe differences in soil microbial communities induced by increased salinity and alkalinity in grass/legume pastures at three sites in SE South Australia. Total ester-linked FAMEs (EL-FAMEs) and phospholipid-linked FAMEs (PL-FAMEs), were also compared for their ability to detect differences between the soil microbial communities. The level of salinity and alkalinity in affected areas of the pastures showed seasonal variation, being greater in summer than in winter. At the time of sampling for the chemical and microbiological measurements (winter) only the affected soil at site 1 was significantly saline. The affected soils at all three sites had lower organic C and total N concentrations than the corresponding non-affected soils. At site 1 microbial biomass, CO 2-C respiration and the rate of cellulose decomposition was also lower in the affected soil compared to the non-affected soil. Biomarker fatty acids present in both the EL- and PL-FAME profiles indicated a lower ratio of fungal to bacterial fatty acids in the saline affected soil at site 1. Analysis of Biolog substrate utilization patterns indicated that the bacterial community in the affected soil at site 1 utilized fewer carbon substrates and had lower functional diversity than the corresponding community in the non-affected soil. In contrast, increased alkalinity, of major importance at sites 2 and 3, had no effect on microbial biomass, the rate of cellulose decomposition or functional diversity but was associated with significant differences in the relative amounts of several fatty acids in the PL-FAME profiles indicative of a shift towards a bacterial dominated community. Despite differences in the number and relative amounts of fatty acids detected, principal component analysis of the EL- and PL-FAME profiles were equally capable of separating the affected and non-affected soils at all three sites. Redundancy analysis of the FAME data showed that organic C, microbial biomass, electrical conductivity and bicarbonate-extractable P were significantly correlated with variation in the EL-FAME profiles, whereas pH, electrical conductivity, NH 4-N, CO 2-C respiration and the microbial quotient were significantly correlated with variation in the PL-FAME profiles. Redundancy analysis of the Biolog data indicated that cation exchange capacity and bicarbonate-extractable K were significantly correlated with the variation in Biolog substrate utilization patterns.

Nutritional constraints on displacement of Fusarium pseudograminearum from cereal straw by antagonists.

Displacement of the fungus Fusarium pseudograminearum from stubble by antagonists is a potential means of biocontrol of crown rot in cereals. The role of carbon and nitrogen nutrition in interactions between the pathogen and the antagonists Fusarium equiseti, Fusarium nygamai, Trichoderma harzianum and the non-antagonistic straw fungus Alternaria infectoria was investigated. Sole carbon source utilization patterns on Biolog plates were similar among the three Fusarium species, suggesting a possible role for competition. However, carbon niche overlap was unlikely to be important in antagonism by T. harzianum. Straw medium supplemented with sugars generally reduced the inhibitory effect of antagonists on growth of F. pseudograminearum in dual culture, indicating that availability of simple carbon sources does not limit antagonism. Adding nitrogen as urea, nitrate or ammonium to straw medium had little effect on antagonism by F. equiseti and F. nygamai, but ammonium addition removed the inhibitory effect of T. harzianum on growth of F. pseudograminearum. Displacement of F. pseudograminearum from straw by all fungi in a Petri dish assay was greater when urea or nitrate was used as a nitrogen source than with ammonium. All forms of nitrogen significantly increased displacement of F. pseudograminearum from straw under simulated field conditions when straws were either inoculated with T. harzianum or exposed to resident soil microbes. However, in 2 out of 3 experiments urea and nitrate were more effective than ammonium. The results suggest that availability of nitrogen, but not carbon, is limiting the activities of antagonists of F. pseudograminearum in straw, and the way nitrogen is applied can influence the rate of displacement and mortality of the pathogen in host residues.

内蒙古多伦草原土壤微生物多样性对全球变化的响应

气候变暖和氮沉降是全球变化现象中最为重要和广为关注的两个方面，它们给陆地生态系统带来了深刻的影响。目前，已有众多研究就二者对地上植被的影响展开了大量工作;而作为陆地生态系统的另一重要生命组分，土壤微生物群落对二者的响应与适应机制还不明了，还需要相关工作的不断补充和完善。本文正是在温带典型草原通过设置增温、施氮等模拟控制实验，探讨增温、施氮及其交互效应对草原生态系统土壤微生物群落多样性和功能多样性的影响，使我们对该地区土壤微生物群落的响应与适应有了一个初步的了解，有助于全面分析和评估气候变化对温带典型草原生态系统的影响。 目前，全球变暖表现出时间上的不均衡性，即夜间增温的幅度要大于白天增温的幅度，而且这种现象在欧亚大陆尤为普遍。这种气候变暖的不均衡性是否会给草原生态系统土壤微生物群落带来显著的影响是我们所关注的问题之一。在第二章中，于多伦典型草原设置了对照、白天增温、夜间增温和全天增温处理，处理时间起始于2006 年5 月，并通过磷脂脂肪酸和BIOLOG 分析方法分别对土壤微生物的群落多样性和碳源利用能力（即功能多样性）进行分析。结果表明，不同增温处理对土壤微生物群落组成的影响均不显著，而夜间增温对土壤细菌群落的碳源利用能力具有显著的促进作用。这说明土壤微生物群落结构对短期增温处理的响应要滞后于功能的响应，而功能上的响应又首先出现在细菌群落，并且这种响应表现为白天增温和夜间增温的非加和效应。 气候变暖往往与降雨的变化相伴而生，而水分又是半干旱典型草原重要限制因子，因此探讨降雨的变化对土壤微生物的影响有助于更深入的了解土壤微生物对气候变暖的响应。在第三章中，分别设置了对照、增温、夏季增雨及增温×夏季增雨处理，处理时间起始于2005 年4 月，并同样分析了土壤微生物的群落组成和功能多样性。结果表明，增温和夏季增雨对土壤微生物群落结构和功能的影响具有明显的一致性，二者均降低了革兰氏阴性菌的相对含量，并且促进了细菌群落的碳源利用能力。增温和增雨在影响细菌群落结构（即，革兰氏阴性菌与阳性菌之比）上具有一定程度的交互效应。 陆地生态系统生产力普遍受到土壤氮素的限制，由于人类活动的干扰，尤其是农业生产和化石燃料燃烧，使土壤氮素含量增加，改变土壤理化环境和地上植物群落，这将直接或间接地影响土壤微生物群落结构和功能。就已有的研究结果来看施氮究竟如何影响土壤微生物群落尚无定论。第四章主要是针对相关研究结果上的分歧，在2003 年设置的0-64 g N m-2 yr-1 的指数施氮梯度实验上进行土壤理化因子、微生物量、净氮矿化和微生物碳源利用能力的分析。结果表明，土壤微生物群落对施氮的响应存在一个介于16 和32 g N m-2y-1 最优施氮量，即低于最优施氮量施氮处理表现为对土壤微生物的促进作用，而过高的施氮量则表现为抑制作用。这一结果说明施氮量是影响土壤微生物对施氮处理做出响应的重要方面之一，有助于解释目前相关研究中出现的结果分歧。 第五章的研究则是考虑了地形和火烧这两个草原生态系统普遍存在的干扰因素，比较分析二者与施氮处理对土壤微生物群落结构的影响。实验设置在多伦典型草原一个坡度为15﹪的南向阳坡，坡上坡下分别设置对照、施氮和火烧处理，处理的起始时间为2005 年4 月。结果表明，土壤微生物群落结构存在地形上的显著差异，表现为坡下以细菌类群占优势，而坡上真菌类群的相对优势较大;火烧对土壤微生物群落结构的影响显著，并表现出明显的地形上的差异，即坡下微生物对火烧的响应敏感性要高于坡上;而短期的施氮处理对土壤微生物群落结构的影响不显著。第六章的研究主要是针对增温、施氮和增温×施氮处理对土壤微生物群落结构和功能的影响，处理时间起始于2006 年5 月。结果表明，土壤微生物群落结构和功能年际变化显著;增温和施氮对土壤微生物的影响均不显著，但增温复合施氮处理中的土壤微生物群落结构表现出一定的响应趋势。

Reproductive physiology of ribbon fish (Trichiurus lepturus)

The ribbon fishes ‘of the family Trichiuridac are represented as one of the most important food resources in Indian ocean. High density of the dominant species of ribbon fish (Trichiurus lepturus) in Oman sea and the 'Tillable catch in last yeas (more than 7000 tones per year) makes a trust area for studing their population biolog and stock assessment. As our knowledge on reproductive biology of this species has an important role on their fisheries management, as well as conservation of this stock from decline or over fishing, this research was held to determine some aspects of reproductive physiology of ribbon fish and the effects of environmental factors in gonadal cycle. The goals of the present thesis is to determine some aspects of reproductive physiology such as gonadosomatic index (GSI) , hepatosomatic index (HSI), condition factor (Ko, fecundity, sex ratio, size at first maturity, size at maturity (LM5O) and their relative hormonal & biochemical fluctuations. In this regards annual variation of sex hormones ic. estradiol 17-B, progestron, cortisol, testostrone and gonadotropins FSH (GTH-I) , LH (GTH-ll)I were measured ; gonadal histological studies were done by light & electron micrography. The research was carried out from April 1995 to January 19% in Ras Nleidani in the north part of Oman sea, and the environmental factors such as temperature, salinity, oxygen, rainfall and pH were measured. The effects of these parameters on reproductive cycle and hormonal fluctuationswere discussed by using correlation and principle component analysis (PCA). Female Ribbon fish reproductive strategy shows the same paterns of nonguarder marine teleosts. T. lepturus has more than one spawning season (existance of egges in different size in each month) and therfore it must have asynchronous ovaries and belong to continious spawners. GSI and HSI are good evidences for this type of reproductive patern. The testis of the lobular type , which is typical of most teleosts , is composed of numerous lobules which are separated from each other by a thin layer of fibrous connective tissue. GSI fluctuations revealed prolong- spawning time in males. There is significant increase in 17-13 estradiol. progestrone , cortisol and gonadotropins with maturity and prespawning period of female T lepturus. Plasma concentration of E2 and GTH II incresaed along with water temperature increasing (3300).. Spawning was observed from Nov. 1995 to Apr. 1996 in this species. Progestrone increased significantly with increasing rainfall in this season (P<0.01). Plasma cortisol levels increased with maturation and vitelpgenesis and also with the peak of spawning. From lenght-weight frequency and size distribution in each age groups and also minimum size at first maturity (52a cm) it would he concluded that T. lepturus must be matured at 2 years of age. Serum cholestrol and triglicerides significantly increased when maturation occured in this species. The relationship between alkaline phosphatase activity and hormonal fluctuations with maturity and vitelogenesis were discussed. Proximate compostion (muscle) shows significant variation with spawning period and maturity. Absolute individual fecundity (17420-159150) increased with body length and weight. Ultrastructural observations show dramatic variation in cell membrane (0ocyte membrane), yolk vesicles and, nucleolus dispersal in relation to maturity stages. fluctuations of gonadal hormones were discused in relation with vitelogenesis. Testosterone increased in males from Nov: to Mar. due to environmental impacts and spawning time. Sex ratio in different depth (10-40 m ,80-110 m) shows significnt differences in this ratio for two depths. In 10-40 m depth female shows dominant abundance to male in each months that may be due to their reproductive migration behaviour. The effects of temperature photoperiod and rainfall to maturity and spawning were discussed. According to -pawning period of T. leptunts in our sampling area it could be suggested that ribbon fish fi,theries must be restricted in the peak of spawning seasons (Feb. to Mar.) and in the spawning grounds (under 40 m depths). Other suggestions for population conservation have been mentioned.

一株异养硝化细菌的分离鉴定及其亚硝化作用研究

从复合垂直流人工湿地表层基质中分离出一株硝化活性较强的异养硝化细菌H-1,进行biolog菌种鉴定,鉴定系统中没有与该菌株特性相似的数据记录。16SrDNA的序列分析结果显示,菌株H-1与产碱杆菌属(Alcaligenes)粪产碱杆菌(A.faecalis)有98%相似性,认为分离菌株H-1可能为Alcaligenes A.faecalis。通过4因素3水平的正交试验,结果显示,当温度为30℃,pH为7.5,接种量为107CFU,溶氧2.25mg·L-1时,该菌株亚硝化反应效果最佳;影响亚硝化反应效果的因

Fermentative hydrogen production by the new marine Pantoea agglomerans isolated from the mangrove sludge

A new fermentative hydrogen-producing bacterium was isolated from mangrove sludge and identified as Pantoea agglomerans using light microscopic examination, Biolog test and 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis. The isolated bacterium, designated as P. agglomerans BH-18, is a new strain that has never been optimized as a potential hydrogen-producing bacterium. In this study, the culture conditions and the hydrogen-producing ability of P. agglomerans BH-18 were examined. The strain was a salt-tolerant facultative anaerobe with the initial optimum pH value at 8.0-9.0 and temperature at 30 degrees C on cell growth. During fermentation, hydrogen started to evolve when cell growth entered late-exponential phase and was mainly produced in the stationary phase. The strain was able to produce hydrogen over a wide range of initial pH from 5 to 10, with an optimum initial pH of 6. The level of hydrogen production was affected by the initial glucose concentration, and the optimum value was found to be 10 g glucose/l. The maximum hydrogen-producing yield (2246 ml/l) and overall hydrogen production rate (160 ml/l/h) were obtained at an initial glucose concentration of 10 g/l and an initial pH value of 7.2 in marine culture conditions. In particular, the level of hydrogen production was also affected by the salt concentration. Hydrogen production reached a higher level in fresh culture conditions than in marine ones. In marine conditions, hydrogen productivity was 108 ml/l/h at an initial glucose concentration of 20 g/l and pH value of 7.2, whereas, it increased by 27% in fresh conditions. In addition, this strain could produce hydrogen using glucose and many other carbon sources such as fructose, sucrose, sorbitol and so on. As a result, it is possible that P. agglomerans BH-18 is used for biohydrogen production and biological treatment of mariculture wastewater and marine organic waste. (C) 2008 International Association for Hydrogen Energy. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

贵州赫章土法炼锌导致的土壤重金属污染特征及微生物生态效应

贵州省赫章县妈姑镇新关寨附近的土法炼锌不仅导致植被的破坏，而且使附近土壤中重金属有不同程度的积累，Zn达到162.23-877.88mg/kg,Pb为37.24-305.56mg/kg,Cd为0.50-16.43mg/kg，大大超过了当地的土壤背景值；而且重金属含量（特别是Pb和Zn含量）与土壤中的Fe2O3和Al2O3有极显著的正相关关系，显示土壤中铁氧化物和粘土矿物对重金属的固定作用。化学形态研究表明，Pb和Zn在土壤中主要表现为铁锰氧化物结合态与残渣态，而Cd的情况与Pb和Zn完全相反，其形态以可交换态为主。本区土壤微生物生物量（用含碳量表示）较低，仅为57.00-388.00μg/g，而且与土壤重金属间有显著的负相关关系，特别是与Zn的相关系数高达-0.7801，反映出重金属对微生物的毒害作用。Biolog测试结果表明，土壤微生物群落结构间没有明显的差别；土壤微生物DNA经PCR（聚合酶链式反应）和DGGE（变性梯度胶电泳）反应后的基因片段非常一致，反映出不同程度的重金属污染并没有导致土壤微生物群落结构的改变和基因损伤，另一方面也表明，土壤本身有强烈的固定重金属能力，抵御了重金属对土壤生物的进一步毒害。

城市土壤中重金属元素的积累及其微生物效应

与农村土壤相比，阿伯丁市城市土壤（路边土、公园土）的微生物特征发生了显著的改变，微生物基底呼吸作用明显增强，但微生物生物量却显著降低，微生物生理生态参数Cmic/Corg、qco2值明显升高，Biolog数据显示城市土壤对能源碳的消耗量和速度显著升高。对重金属元素研究表明，与农村土相比城市土壤中重金属Pb、Zn、Cu、Ni已经有明显积累，化学形态研究表明Pb主要与氧化铁有关，Ni、Zn以残渣态为主，Cd以有效态为主，而Cu除有效态外，其它结合形态基本具有同等重要的意义。主成分分析表明，有效态Pb是控制城市土壤与农村土壤微生物特征差异的主要因素，其次为Zn，Cu和Ni的有效态和有机态亦有一定的作用效应。

用微生物对单—碳源利用方法探讨重金属在城市土壤中积累的环境效应

Biolog研究表明，英国阿伯丁市城市土壤的微生物群落结构显著有别于农村土壤，并使微生物对碳源的消耗量增加，消耗速度加快。城市土壤中不仅重金属Cu,Pb,Zn,Ni的含量明显高于农村土壤，而且其化学形态的主成分分析表明，有效态Pb,Zn,Cu及有机态Ni和Cu是导致城市土壤区分于农村土壤的主要因子。相关性分析表明，Biolog的这种变化规律与重金属的上述化学形态密切相关；典型变量分析表明，重金属对城市土壤微生物群落结果的这种损伤具有长期性效应及不可恢复性。

重金属Cu的土壤微生物毒性研究

Cu进入土壤后的早阶段，低浓度对土壤微生物生物量有刺激作用，而高浓度则起抑制作用；表现在微生物呼吸强度升高，微生物生理生态参数代谢商qCO2增大，微生物生物量碳与有机碳的比值（Cmic/Corg）降低；但土壤对Cu高强的结合容量导致该效应随时间而变得不显著；Biolog数据表明，在Cu的胁迫下，不仅微生物的群落结构有所改变，而且对碳源的优先利用种类发生了转移，碳源消耗量增加，消耗速度变快，同时这样的损伤效应具有长期性。

Elucidating the Regulon of the Multidrug Resistance Regulator RarA in Klebsiella pneumoniae

RarA is an AraC-type regulator in Klebsiella pneumoniae, which, when overexpressed, confers a low-level multidrug-resistant (MDR) phenotype linked to the upregulation of both the acrAB and oqxAB efflux genes. Increased rarA expression has also been shown to be integral in the development of tigecycline resistance in the absence of ramA in K. pneumoniae. Given its phenotypic role in MDR, microarray analyses were performed to determine the RarA regulon. Transcriptome analysis was undertaken using strains Ecl8?rarA/pACrarA-2 (rarA-expressing construct) and Ecl8?rarA/pACYC184 (vector-only control) using bespoke microarray slides consisting of probes derived from the genomic sequences of K. pneumoniae MGH 78578 (NC_009648.1) and Kp342 (NC_011283.1). Our results show that rarA overexpression resulted in the differential expression of 66 genes (42 upregulated and 24 downregulated). Under the COG (clusters of orthologous groups) functional classification, the majority of affected genes belonged to the category of cell envelope biogenesis and posttranslational modification, along with genes encoding the previously uncharacterized transport proteins (e.g., KPN_03141, sdaCB, and leuE) and the porin OmpF. However, genes associated with energy production and conversion and amino acid transport/metabolism (e.g., nuoA, narJ, and proWX) were found to be downregulated. Biolog phenotype analyses demonstrated that rarA overexpression confers enhanced growth of the overexpresser in the presence of several antibiotic classes (i.e., beta-lactams and fluoroquinolones), the antifungal/antiprotozoal compound clioquinol, disinfectants (8-hydroxyquinoline), protein synthesis inhibitors (i.e., minocycline and puromycin), membrane biogenesis agents (polymyxin B and amitriptyline), DNA synthesis (furaltadone), and the cytokinesis inhibitor (sanguinarine). Both our transcriptome and phenotypic microarray data support and extend the role of RarA in the MDR phenotype of K. pneumoniae.

Isolation and characterization of a novel simazine-degrading bacterium from agricultural soil of central Chile, Pseudomonas sp MHP41

s-Triazine herbicides are used extensively in South America in agriculture and forestry. In this study, a bacterium designated as strain MHP41, capable of degrading simazine and atrazine, was isolated from agricultural soil in the Quillota valley, central Chile. Strain MHP41 is able to grow in minimal medium, using simazine as the sole nitrogen source. In this medium, the bacterium exhibited a growth rate of mu = 0.10 h(-1), yielding a high biomass of 4.2 x 10(8) CFU mL(-1). Resting cells of strain MHP41 degrade more than 80% of simazine within 60 min. The atzA, atzB, atzC, atzD, atzE and atzF genes encoding the enzymes of the simazine upper and lower pathways were detected in strain MHP41. The motile Gram-negative bacterium was identified as a Pseudomonas sp., based on the Biolog microplate system and comparative sequence analyses of the 16S rRNA gene. Amplified ribosomal DNA restriction analysis allowed the differentiation of strain MHP41 from Pseudomonas sp. ADP. The comparative 16S rRNA gene sequence analyses suggested that strain MHP41 is closely related to Pseudomonas nitroreducens and Pseudomonas multiresinovorans. This is the first s-triazine-degrading bacterium isolated in South America. Strain MHP41 is a potential biocatalyst for the remediation of s-triazine-contaminated environments.

Concentration effects of 1,2-dichlorobenzene on soil microbiology

The effect of increasing concentrations (65, 130, 325, 1,300, and 3,250 μg/g soil dry weight) of 1,2-dichlorobenzene (1,2-DCB) on the microbial biomass, metabolic potential, and diversity of culturable bacteria was investigated using soil microcosms. All doses caused a significant (p < 0.05) decrease in viable hyphal fungal length. Bacteria were more tolerant, only direct total counts in soils exposed to 3,250 μg/g were significantly (p < 0.05) lower than untreated controls, and estimates of culturable bacteria showed no response. Pseudomonads counts were stimulated by 1,2-DCB concentrations of up to 325 μg/g; above this level counts were similar to controls. Fatty acid methyl ester analysis of taxonomic bacterial composition reflected the differential response of specific genera to increasing 1,2-DCB concentrations, especially the tolerance of Bacillus to the highest concentrations. The shifts in community composition were reflected in estimates of metabolic potential assessed by carbon assimilation (Biolog) ability. Significantly fewer (p < 0.05) carbon sources were utilized by communities exposed to 1,2-DCB concentrations greater than 130 μg/g (<64 carbon sources utilized) than control soils (83); the ability to assimilate individual carbohydrates sources was especially compromised. The results of this study demonstrate that community diversity and metabolic potential can be used as effective bioindicators of pollution stress and concentration effects.

Response of soil microbial biomass to 1,2-dichlorobenzene addition in the presence of plant residues

The impact of 1,2-dichlorobenzene on soil microbial biomass in the presence and absence of fresh plant residues (roots) was investigated by assaying total vital bacterial counts, vital fungel hyphal length, total culturable bacterial counts, and culturable fluorescent pseudomonads. Diversity of the fluorescent pseudomonads was investigated using fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) characterization in conjunction with metabolic profiling of the sampled culturable community (Biolog). Mineralization of [¹⁴C]1,2- dichlorobenzene was also assayed. Addition of fresh roots stimulated 1,2- dichlorobenzene mineralization by over 100%, with nearly 20% of the label mineralized in root-amended treatments by the termination of the experiment. Presence of roots also buffered any impacts of 1,2-dichlorobenzene on microbial numbers. In the absence of roots, 1,2-dichlorobenzene greatly stimulated total culturable bacteria and culturable pseudomonads in a concentration-dependent manner. 1,2-Dichlorobenzene, up to concentrations of 50 μg/g soil dry weight had little or no deleterious effects on microbial counts. The phenotypic diversity of the fluorescent pseudomonad population was unaffected by the treatments, even though fluorescent pseudomonad numbers were greatly stimulated by both roots and 1,2-dichlorobenzene. The presence of roots had no detectable impact on the bacterial community composition. No phenotypic shifts in the natural population were required to benefit from the presence of roots and 1,2-dichlorobenzene. The metabolic capacity of the culturable bacterial community was altered in the presence of roots but not in the presence of 1,2-dichlorobenzene. It is argued that the increased microbial biomass and shifts in metabolic capacity of the microbial biomass are responsible for enhanced degradation of 1,2-dichlorobenzene in the presence of decaying plant roots.

Response of soil microbial communities to single and multiple doses of an organic pollutant

The effect of 100 μg 1,2-dichlorobenzene (1,2-DCB) g^-1 dry weight (dw) of soil introduced either as a single dose or multiple (10 fortnightly) doses of 10 μg g^-1 dw, on the microbial biomass, diversity of culturable bacterial community and the rate of 1,2-DCB mineralisation, were compared. After 22 weeks exposure both application regimes significantly reduced total bacterial counts and viable fungal hyphal length. The single dose had the greatest overall inhibitory effect, although the extent of inhibition varied throughout the study. Total culturable bacterial counts, determined after 22 weeks exposure showed little response to 1,2-DCB, but pseudomonad counts in single and multiple treatments were reduced to 9.7 and 0.147%, respectively, of the numbers detected in the control soil. The effect of 1,2-DCB application on the taxonomic composition of the culturable bacteria community was determined by fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) analysis. Compared to control soils, the single dose treatment had a lower percentage of Arthrobacter and Micrococcus. Multiple applications had a significant effect upon pseudomonad abundance, which represented only 2% of the identified community, compared to 45.6% in the control. The multi-dosed soils contained a high percentage of bacilli (> 25%). The effects of 1,2-DCB applications on the metabolic potential of the soil microbial community was determined by BIOLOG profiling. The number of carbon compounds utilised by the community in the multi-dosed soils (49 positives) was significantly less (P < 0.05) than detected in the single dose treatment (76) and control (66). The rate of 1,2-DCB mineralisation, determined by ¹⁴CO₂ production from radiolabelled [UL-¹⁴C] 1,2-DCB, declined throughout the study, and after 22 weeks was slightly but significantly (P < 0.05) lower in the multiply- than the singly-dosed soils. The differential response to 1,2-DCB treatments was attributed to its reduced bioavailability in soils after a single exposure, compared to multiple applications.