Changes in soil enzyme activities following additions of cyanobacterial biomass and exopolysaccharide

The aim of this research was to establish changes in the overall activity of extracellular enzymes: beta -glucosidase, phosphomonoesterase, arylsulphatase, protease and urease and the intracellular enzyme dehydrogenase produced by the addition of Tolypothrix tenuis and Micro -chaete tenera (Cyanobacteria) exopolysaccharide (EPS) and biomass to a silty clay loam soil. Both biomass and EPS of M, tenera significantly (p < 0.05) increased <beta>-glucosidase activity by 0.1 and 29.3%, respectively. Both cyanobacteria species significantly (p < 0.05) increased urease activity by 15 +/- 1%. Cyanobacterial biomass and EPS from T. tenuis and hi. tenera produced significant increases in protease (76-90%, 101-136%), phosphomonoesterase (19-27%, 13-22%), arylsulphatase (148-167%, 406-174%) and dehydrogenase activity (16-32%, 43-30%). (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.