Glucose and oxalic acid carbon-13 assimilation and H218O assimilation rates in forest surface soil bacteria

The goal of this project was to determine bacterial taxon-specific growth directly from either fresh glucose or oxalic acid or growth on native soil organic carbon in two soils of varying mineral composition. The two soils were forest soils from the Sierra Nevada mountain range in California, USA, derived either from andesite or granite parent material. In a laboratory incubation, H218O enriched and C-13 enriched glucose or oxalic acid were added to soils for 7 days before freezing. Control soils received only water, and isotopic control soils received unenriched water and/or glucose or oxalic acid.