Impact of land-use change on proteolytic activity of mountain meadows

Abstract

Casein-protease activity assessed at 50°C and with adjustment of optimum pH conditions (PA), and casein-protease activity near soil pH and at field soil temperature (LPA) were studied one vegetation period in mountain meadow soils covered with moderately mown vegetation, and over which vegetation had been abandoned for thirteen years. PA peaked in the first part of the vegetation season whereas LPA increased throughout the season; in addition, LPA was not linearly related to temperature (r = 0.127 resp. 0.312; P > 0.05). The combined effect of field soil temperature and pH decreased a casein-protease activity by > 98.4%. A management of meadows had no significant (P > 0.05) effect on PA and LPA.

Keywords

• mountain meadows
• management
• casein-protease
• soil
• temperature