Earthworm species composition affects the soil bacterial community and net nitrogen mineralization

Postma-Blaauw, M.B.; Bloem, J.; Faber, J.H.; Groenigen, J.W. van; Goede, R.G.M. de; Brussaard, L.

doi:10.1016/j.pedobi.2006.02.001

Cited by 119 publications

(63 citation statements)

References 42 publications

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“…Both earthworm species appeared to prevent N immobilization, significantly increasing mineral N pool in the bulk soil on days 21 and 90 but preventing it from accumulating in microbial biomass (see Table S3). Consistent with other studies (6,29,35), L. rubellus activity resulted in larger NH 4 ϩ pools on days 21 and 90, indicating enhanced mineralization rates. Nitrogen mineralization by L. rubellus likely resulted from incorporation of maize residue into the soil, as evidenced by an increased pool of mineralizable N on day 89 in treatments with L. rubellus (see Table S2).…”

Section: Downloaded Fromsupporting

confidence: 91%

“…A positive A. caliginosa effect on NH 4 ϩ concentrations on day 21 suggested that mineralization rates were also increased by this species. The source of mineral N from A. caliginosa did not appear to come directly from fresh maize residue but rather indirectly via turnover of microbial biomass N. Indeed, endogeic earthworms have been known to decrease microbial biomass (35,42) and may compete with soil microorganisms for N and C substrates (17,45).…”

Section: Downloaded Frommentioning

confidence: 99%

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Association of Earthworm-Denitrifier Interactions with Increased Emission of Nitrous Oxide from Soil Mesocosms Amended with Crop Residue

Nebert

Bloem

Lubbers

et al. 2011

Appl Environ Microbiol

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Earthworm activity is known to increase emissions of nitrous oxide (N 2 O) from arable soils. Earthworm gut, casts, and burrows have exhibited higher denitrification activities than the bulk soil, implicating priming of denitrifying organisms as a possible mechanism for this effect. Furthermore, the earthworm feeding strategy may drive N 2 O emissions, as it determines access to fresh organic matter for denitrification. Here, we determined whether interactions between earthworm feeding strategy and the soil denitrifier community can predict N 2 O emissions from the soil. We set up a 90-day mesocosm experiment in which 15 N-labeled maize (Zea mays L.) was either mixed in or applied on top of the soil in the presence or absence of the epigeic earthworm Lumbricus rubellus and/or the endogeic earthworm Aporrectodea caliginosa. We measured N 2 O fluxes and tested the bulk soil for denitrification enzyme activity and the abundance of 16S rRNA and denitrifier genes nirS and nosZ through real-time quantitative PCR. Compared to the control, L. rubellus increased denitrification enzyme activity and N 2 O emissions on days 21 and 90 (day 21, P ‫؍‬ 0.034 and P ‫؍‬ 0.002, respectively; day 90, P ‫؍‬ 0.001 and P ‫؍‬ 0.007, respectively), as well as cumulative N 2 O emissions (76%; P ‫؍‬ 0.014). A. caliginosa activity led to a transient increase of N 2 O emissions on days 8 to 18 of the experiment. Abundance of nosZ was significantly increased (100%) on day 90 in the treatment mixture containing L. rubellus alone. We conclude that L. rubellus increased cumulative N 2 O emissions by affecting denitrifier community activity via incorporation of fresh residue into the soil and supplying a steady, labile carbon source.

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confidence: 91%

Section: Downloaded Frommentioning

confidence: 99%

Association of Earthworm-Denitrifier Interactions with Increased Emission of Nitrous Oxide from Soil Mesocosms Amended with Crop Residue

Nebert

Bloem

Lubbers

et al. 2011

Appl Environ Microbiol

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“…As a consequence the fertility and sustainability of the Waitaki soils maybe constrained by lack of anecic species, whose presence in agro ecosystems is important in providing ecosystem services that benefit agriculture (Fraser et al, 1996;Lavelle et al, 2006;Postma-Blaauw et al, 2006). This observation deserves further attention because it contrasts with earlier earthworm studies in the study region where A. longa formed the dominant species of the earthworm community (Lee, 1959) and L. terrestris was reported to be "common, plentiful and everywhere" (Smith, 1894).…”

Section: Earthworm Community Composition In the Waitaki Basin: Comparmentioning

confidence: 78%

Effects of stock type, irrigation and effluent dispersal on earthworm species composition, densities and biomasses in New Zealand pastures

Manono

Møller

2015

Pedobiologia

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A B S T R A C TWe investigated the effects of grazing stock, irrigation and effluent dispersal on earthworm species compositions, densities and biomasses in 615 locations across 41 farms in the Waitaki Basin, New Zealand, between April and September 2012. No native megascolecid earthworms were found, but four introduced European species were encountered. Among earthworms collected, Aporrectodea caliginosa accounted for 70% of the total, 23% were Lumbricus rubellus and 4% Aporrectodea longa. When compared with untreated locations, total earthworm density was higher by 42% in effluent only locations and 72% in irrigated only locations. Maximum densities and biomasses occurred where both effluent and irrigation were applied. L. rubellus density was 32% higher in effluent only locations, 123% higher in irrigated only locations and 180% higher in effluent and irrigated locations than untreated locations. A. longa occurred in 24% of the sampled locations and appeared to be suppressed in irrigated locations. When equivalent treatments were applied, earthworm densities were 15.4% to 36.6% higher on sheep farms than on dairy farms; earthworm biomasses differed by -3.3% to 55.8% between these two kinds of stock animal farms. Treatment effects on earthworms were evident only in the upper 10 cm soil layer. Effluent and water application may have reduced the risk of desiccation and increased the availability of resources for earthworms. However, local absence of the deep burrowing species (e.g. A. longa) raises concerns about ecosystem functioning. This is a topic that should be explored further.

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“…In the above experiments, earthworms were usually excluded. Earthworms are known to increase net N-mineralization (e.g., Wolters and Stickan 1991;Scheu 1997;Marhan and Scheu 2005;Postma-Blaauw et al 2006) and may even increase plant productivity (Seeber et al 2008). However, these results are usually based on presence and absence of earthworms under otherwise similar conditions and do not necessarily show that soils with high earthworm activity by nature should have higher net N-mineralization than natural low-earthworm soils.…”

Section: Soil Organisms and N-dynamicsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The relationship between N mineralization or microbial biomass N with micromorphological properties in beech forest soils with different texture and pH

2009

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To test relationships between net N-mineralization, organic matter and soil organisms, we combined micromorphology with laboratory incubation experiments over a soil gradient. Microbial biomass N generally increased with pH, and from sandy to loamy soil, but net N-mineralization showed the opposite, and was highest in acid, sandy soil. Twenty-two micromorphological characteristics were analyzed with principal component analysis. PC1 had high eigenvalue (0.70), and clearly separated fungi from earthworms, microarthropods and bacteria. PC2 was less important (0.15). Organic layer and sand content clearly correlated with the fungi-end of PC1, but pH and C-content of the Ah with the opposite. Microbial N also correlated with the earthwormbacteria end, but net N-mineralization did not. Efficiency of N-mineralization per unit microbe even correlated with the fungi end of PC1, in both organic layer and mineral topsoil. The results support the hypothesis that high (or low) litter turnover and biological activity can be counteracted by high (or low) microbial N-demand.

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Earthworm species composition affects the soil bacterial community and net nitrogen mineralization

Cited by 119 publications

References 42 publications

Association of Earthworm-Denitrifier Interactions with Increased Emission of Nitrous Oxide from Soil Mesocosms Amended with Crop Residue

Association of Earthworm-Denitrifier Interactions with Increased Emission of Nitrous Oxide from Soil Mesocosms Amended with Crop Residue

Effects of stock type, irrigation and effluent dispersal on earthworm species composition, densities and biomasses in New Zealand pastures

The relationship between N mineralization or microbial biomass N with micromorphological properties in beech forest soils with different texture and pH

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