Soil microbial activity, mycelial lengths and physiological groups of bacteria in a heavy-metal polluted area
Effects of heavy metals and soil pH around a smelter detected, including decreased abundance of certain degradative capacities such as: acid formation from maltose, cellobiose, arabinose or xylose, or hydrolysation of starch, pectin, xylan, or cellulose. Soil respiration also decreased, but not phosphatase activity.