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Nitrogen storage (communication arising)

UV-B radiation and soil microbial communities

Nature volume 423, page 138 (2003)Cite this article

Abstract

Stark and Hart question our finding1 that increased UV-B irradiation affects the biomass C:N ratio of Arctic soil microbial communities. Our data for microbial carbon biomass (Cmic; 1.0–3.1 mg per g soil) and nitrogen (Nmic; 0.1–0.3 mg per g soil) fall within the range presented by Stark and Hart (0.2–3.9 and 0.04–0.28 mg per g soil for Cmic and Nmic, respectively)2, but the C:N ratios in the control plots are greater than those for both similar3,4 and contrasting soil types2. However, we do not agree that this invalidates our conclusions.

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References

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Animal and Plant Science, University of Sheffield, Western Bank, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK

    David Johnson, John A. Lee & Terry V. Callaghan

  2. The Macaulay Land Use Research Institute, Cragiebuckler, AB15 8QH, Aberdeen, UK

    Colin D. Campbell

  3. Abisko Scientific Research Station, Abisko, 981-07, Sweden

    Terry V. Callaghan

  4. Institute of Biological Sciences, University of Wales, Aberystwyth, SY23 3DA, UK

    Dylan Gwynn-Jones

Authors
  1. David Johnson
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  2. Colin D. Campbell
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  3. John A. Lee
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  4. Terry V. Callaghan
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  5. Dylan Gwynn-Jones
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to David Johnson.

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Johnson, D., Campbell, C., Lee, J. et al. UV-B radiation and soil microbial communities. Nature 423, 138 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1038/423138a

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