PLFA is used to measure

PLFA is Phospholipid fatty acid analysis is used for estimation of microbial biomass and community composition, especially in sediments and soils but also to characterize bacterial communities in water.
Phospholipids can occur in many biological classes such as in plant roots, fungi, as well as in soil bacteria. A sampling of agricultural soils for analysis of chemical composition has long been practiced in crop production and while there has been recognition of the importance of the soil microbial.