Changes in soil enzyme activities following additions of cyanobacterial biomass and exopolysaccharide

The aim of this research was to establish changes in the overall activity of extracellular enzymes: β-glucosidase, phosphomonoesterase, arylsulphatase, protease and urease and the intracellular enzyme dehydrogenase produced by the addition of Tolypothrix tenuis and Microchaete tenera (Cyanobacteria) exopolysaccharide (EPS) and biomass to a silty clay loam soil. Both biomass and EPS of M. tenera significantly (p<0.05) increased β-glucosidase activity by 0.1 and 29.3%, respectively. Both cyanobacteria species significantly (p<0.05) increased urease activity by 15±1%. Cyanobacterial biomass and EPS from T. tenuis and M. tenera produced significant increases in protease (76–90%, 101–136%), phosphomonoesterase (19–27%, 13–22%), arylsulphatase (148–167%, 406–174%) and dehydrogenase activity (16–32%, 43–30%).