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Phospholipid Fatty Acid Analysis. Phospholipids are essential membrane components of all living cells Viable microbes have an intact membrane which contains fatty acids as components of its phospholipids
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Phospholipid Fatty Acid Analysis • Phospholipids are essential membrane components of all living cells • Viable microbes have an intact membrane which contains fatty acids as components of its phospholipids • PLFA analysis is done through a chemical extraction process and analyzed on a gas chromatograph • Phospholipids make up a relatively constant proportion of the biomass of organisms • Rapid changes in microbial community structure can be detected by changes in PLFA patterns
PLFA data from Bradford Research Center Soil is from 5 soil pits all within a stone’s throw of each other, top 2 inches of soil, taken from the crop row or next to plants 1- Soybeans- field has been in continuous tillage for over 50 years 2- Switchgrass- field was in fescue for many years then tilled for a few years and is now planted with prairie plants 3- No-till corn- field was tilled for a few years but has been no-till the past few years 4- Hedgerow- woody plants such as sumac have grown up in an old fencerow 5- Fescue field- long-term fescue with sporadic mowing