Autoclaving kills soil microbes yet soil enzymes remain active

88 citations recorded by the source corpus.

How researchers see this paper

The researchers whose trusted networks rank it highest, strongest advocate first. Every researcher gets a different order.

Optimization of hydrolytic and oxidative enzyme methods for ecosystem studies (2011, background): “However, autoclaving can cause significant changes to the stability of soil organic matter (Conrad, 1996; Serrasolses et al., 2008), and enzymes stabilized in organic matter or on mineral surfaces may not be destroyed by autoclaving (Carter et al., 2007; Stursova and Sinsabaugh, 2008).”
Temperature affects microbial decomposition of cadavers (Rattus rattus) in contrasting soils (2008, methodology): “The reason for this is unclear but may reflect great microbial demand for P in a potentially P fixing (clay) soil (see Carter et al., 2007a, and discussion in Tibbett, 2002), or alternatively may simply reflect different microbial community function between the soils.”