Responses of anaerobic bacteria to soil amendment with selenite

Soil (Haplic Luvisol) was incubated in anaerobic microcosms with and without addition of a small amount of selenite (2 mg Se kg−1) and straw, and changes in both bacterial populations (fermentative and selenite-respiring) and selenium fractionation were assessed. Selenite caused an initial decrease in CO2 emission (−98% alone and −60% with straw) but this effect decreased with time. Selenite and straw additions enhanced the dynamics of fermentative and selenite-respiring bacteria but their effect was not cumulative. Selenium became less easily extractable during incubation: the non-extractable fraction of added selenium increased from 22% to 68% (73% with straw).