Tuesday, November 14, 2006 - 2:30 PM
190-2

Analyses Developed by Dean Martens for Soil Carbohydrates, Phenols, and Amino Compounds: Tools for Understanding Soil Processes.

Daniel C. Olk, USDA-ARS, National Soil Tilth Lab., 2150 Pammel Drive, Ames, IA 50011-4420

Soil organic matter has largely remained a black box, in part because we cannot quantitatively identify its components nor consequently their roles in soil processes. Dean Martens developed three useful laboratory analyses for quantifying soil concentrations of specific compounds in key biochemical classes—carbohydrates, phenols, and amino acids and amino sugars. His analysis for soil carbohydrates is sensitive and specific, and it involves anion chromatography and pulsed amperometry. It has been used to study a range of topics, including soil aggregation, microbial carbon forms, and composting. Dean's analysis for phenols by gas chromatography promises improved quantification of labile phenols. Thus it may complement the harsher cupric oxide extraction for elucidating the roles of phenols in stabilizing C, aggregates, and other soil components. His analysis for amino acids and amino sugars involves anion chromatography and pulsed amperometry.  It has been used to investigate such topics as soil N cycling under soybean versus corn cropping, N mineralization from animal manure, and trace gas dynamics. Dean's carbohydrate analysis has proven to be a leading technique, but his more recently developed analyses for phenols and amino compounds should be further evaluated. 

Back to Francis E. Clark Distinguished Lectureship--Characterization of Soil Biotransformations and Implications for Ecosystem Function: A Tribute to the Work of Dean A. Martens: II/Div. S-3 Business Meeting
Back to S03 Soil Biology & Biochemistry

Back to The ASA-CSSA-SSSA International Annual Meetings (November 12-16, 2006)