Chloroform fumigation techniques

The introduction of the chloroform fumigation technique represents a significant advance in the assessment of the soil biomass. In conjunction with other methods, the technique has shown that the biomass is large, but greatly restricted in its activity because of the low levels of available nutrients. The fungi form a major component of the biomass. The biomass comprises only a small proportion of the total soil organic matter, but it is a comparatively labile fraction. 

---