Beta-Glucosidase Activity in Paddy Soils of the Taihu Lake Region, China1

ABSTRACTThe profile distribution of β-gulcosidase activity in twelve typical paddy soil profiles with high productivity in the Taihu Lake region of China were investigated. Activities of β-gulcosidase in the plow layers were in the range of 52.68–137.02 μg PNP g−1 soil h−1 with a mean of 89.22 μg PNP g−1 soil h−1. However, most plow layers ranged from 70 to 110 μg PNP g−1 soil h−1. The profile distribution of β-gulcosidase activity in the 12 soil profiles decreased rapidly with soil depth, with activity at the 60 cm depth only about 10% of that in the surface layers (0–15 cm or 0–20 cm). In these soil profiles, β-gulcosidase activity was significantly positively correlated with soil organic carbon and arylsulphatase activity. Meanwhile, a significantly negative correlation was shown between β-gulcosidase activity and soil pH.