Seasonal changes in the microbial biomass of Brazilian soils with different organic matter contents

Carbon and nitrogen levels of microbial biomass were studied in four plots located in Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil. Two samplings were carried out, the first one, on November 1992 when rainfall was high which led the soil to high levels of moisture, and the second one on March 1993 when there was a decrease in rainfall coupled with high temperatures. Microbial carbon (MBC) and microbial nitrogen (MBN) assessments were done by the fumigation‐extraction method. The results showed significant differences for MBC and MBN between the sampling times and between different plots. Moreover, MBN showed differences as a function of sampling depth. In the 1993 sampling, developed under moisture conditions of soil which promoted the mineralization of organic matter, lesser values of MBC and MBN were found, whereas there was no difference in the organic carbon content. This fact shows a major sensitivity of biomass measurements to reflect changes which occur in the soil organic matter content. Significant correlations were obtained between MBC and organic carbon (r = 0.35, P < 0.01, n = 68), MBN and total N (r = 0.62; P < 0.07, n = 47), and MBC with NBM (r 0.74, P < 0.01, n = 54).