β-glucosidase activity in pasture soils

p-Glucosidase is involved in the degradation of cellulose in soils and has potential for monitoring biological soil quality. We assayed p-glucosidase activity in 29 permanent grassland soils from England and Wales with contrasting physico-chemical and biological properties (clay content 22-68%; total carbon 29-80 mg g(-1); microbial carbon 412-3412 mug g(-1)). Substrate induced p-glucosidase activity ranged between 1.12 and 6.12 mumol para-nitrophenol g(-1) soil h(-1) and was positively correlated with concentrations of clay, total carbon and microbial carbon. This suggests that substrate-induced p-glucosidase activity is an integrative measure of physico-chemical and biological soil properties and may have applications in monitoring biological soil quality. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.