Earthworm populations in twelve cover crop and weed management combinations

Roarty, Shaun; Hackett, Richard; Schmidt, Olaf

doi:10.1016/j.apsoil.2017.02.001

Cited by 45 publications

(33 citation statements)

References 41 publications

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“…This is in agreement with previous studies showing that plant type can act as a top-down driver of soil food web functioning (Crotty et al, 2014;Elias et al, 2017), and that the continuous supply of quality food throughout the year could have a more influential role in shaping earthworm communities than absence of ploughing alone (e.g. Schmidt et al, 2003: Roarty et al, 2017. Therefore, not only can land conversions and agricultural practices have a strong influence in the abundance and structure of soil communities (Tsiafouli et al, 2015;Briones and Schmidt, 2017), the crop species planted could stimulate the consumption of different basal resources (root exudates, dead organic matter or microbially derived compounds).…”

Section: Effects Of Bioenergy Plantations On C Transfers Through Detrsupporting

confidence: 92%

Plant identity control on soil food web structure and C transfers under perennial bioenergy plantations

Briones

Elias

Grant

et al. 2019

Soil Biology and Biochemistry

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Section: Effects Of Bioenergy Plantations On C Transfers Through Detrsupporting

confidence: 92%

Plant identity control on soil food web structure and C transfers under perennial bioenergy plantations

Briones

Elias

Grant

et al. 2019

Soil Biology and Biochemistry

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“…To ensure deep‐burrowing earthworms were also counted, after excavation, mustard solution (10 g Colman's® mustard powder in 1 L of water) was added to the pit to expel any earthworms located below, and these were removed, washed, and added to the respective sample. Live earthworms were sorted into adults and juveniles, and identified to species using the taxonomic key by Sherlock () and functional groups following Roarty, Hackett, and Schmidt (). Other macrofauna abundance and diversity were also quantified from the soil block taken for earthworm sampling as per Crotty et al () ( n = 6), with macrofauna found identified to order and counted per block.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The legacy of cover crops on the soil habitat and ecosystem services in a heavy clay, minimum tillage rotation

Crotty

Stoate

2019

Food and Energy Security

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Cover crops are grown as potential ways to improve soil fertility, soil structure, and biodiversity, while reducing weed/pest burdens. Yet, increased costs (in both time and fuel), farmer knowledge requirements, and yield uncertainty (green bridge effect and variable crop establishment) have led to hesitation among farmers. This study was conducted at the field scale (covering an area of nearly 20 hectares) to determine whether different cover crop mixtures affected soil properties and ecosystem services on a heavy clay soil. Measurements of soil chemistry, physics, biology, weed abundance, and subsequent crop performance were taken within a minimum tillage management system, across three cover crop mixtures (commonly sold to UK farmers). The cover crop mixtures included oats (Avena sativa), radish (Raphanus sativus), phacelia (Phacelia tanacetifolia), vetch (Vicia sativa), legumes, buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum) and a bare stubble control followed by a spring oat crop. Soil physics (penetrometer and bulk density) and chemistry (N, P, K, Mg, Ca, and organic matter) varied little across treatments, although there was significantly lower Mg in the cover crop including legumes and an increase in NO3 within this treatment. Soil biology and botanical composition were also assessed, monitoring earthworm and mesofauna abundance; and sown and unsown (weed) biomass. Epigeic earthworms were found to have significantly larger abundance in cover crop mixtures with radish present, although other meso‐ and macrofauna did not differ. Significant weed suppression was found during both the cover crop growing period and as a legacy in the subsequent crop, leading to significant yield increases and economic benefits in some treatments. Our study confirms that cover crops are providing benefits, even on heavy clay soils, including improvements in nutrient leaching risk reduction, weed suppression, and crop yield, coupled with wider ecosystem benefits. We therefore consider cover crops to have a role in sustainable management of arable rotations.

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“…Although we focused on the soil microbial community, the importance of soil fauna (i.e. earthworms) for the shifts in P dynamics after cover crops should not be underestimated (Roarty et al 2017).…”

Section: Decomposition Of Cover Crop Residuesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Hidden miners – the roles of cover crops and soil microorganisms in phosphorus cycling through agroecosystems

et al. 2018

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Background Phosphorus (P) is a limiting nutrient in many agroecosystems and costly fertilizer inputs can cause negative environmental impacts. Cover crops constitute a promising management option for sustainable intensification of agriculture. However, their interactions with the soil microbial community, which is a key driver of P cycling, and their effects on the following crop, have not yet been systematically assessed. Scope We conducted a meta-analysis of published field studies on cover crops and P cycling, focusing on plantmicrobe interactions. Conclusions We describe several distinct, simultaneous mechanisms of P benefits for the main crop. Decomposition dynamics, governed by P concentration, are critical for the transfer of P from cover crop residues to the main crop. Cover crops may enhance the soil microbial community by providing a legacy of increased mycorrhizal abundance, microbial biomass P, and phosphatase activity. Cover crops are generally most effective in systems low in available P, and may access 'unavailable' P pools. However, their effects on P availability are difficult to detect by standard soil P tests, except for increases after the use of Lupinus sp. Agricultural management (i.e. cover crop species selection, tillage, fertilization) can improve cover crop effects. In summary, cover cropping has the potential to tighten nutrient cycling in agricultural systems under different conditions, increasing crop P nutrition and yield.

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Earthworm populations in twelve cover crop and weed management combinations

Cited by 45 publications

References 41 publications

Plant identity control on soil food web structure and C transfers under perennial bioenergy plantations

Plant identity control on soil food web structure and C transfers under perennial bioenergy plantations

The legacy of cover crops on the soil habitat and ecosystem services in a heavy clay, minimum tillage rotation

Hidden miners – the roles of cover crops and soil microorganisms in phosphorus cycling through agroecosystems

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