Assessment of Soil Extracellular Enzymatic Activity from Different Land-use Areas of Argeș County, Romania

Soils constitute a complex environment inhabited by numerous types of organisms and play a crucial role in the biogeochemical cycling of elements in nature. Within this environment, various types of heterotrophic microorganisms are involved in the mineralization of detrital organic matter through enzymatic processes and the recycling of constituent elements. The extracellular enzymes synthesized by these microorganisms are highly sensitive to environmental conditions, including changes induced by anthropogenic pressure. In this study, we assessed the dynamic intensity of four extracellular enzymes involved in the biogeochemical cycles of C, N, and P in multiple types of areas along the upper course of the Argeș River. Enzymatic activity was present throughout the study period at all stations. The spatial distribution of enzymatic activity varied spatially, with differences observed between the analyzed areas for each enzyme. Additionally, only alkaline phosphatase exhibited higher intensity in the summer season, while the others were more active in the spring and autumn seasons.