Ecological adaptation of earthworms for coping with plant polyphenols, heavy metals, and microplastics in the soil: A review

Gudeta, Kasahun; Kumar, Vineet; Bhagat, Ankeet; Julka, J. M.; Bhat, Sartaj Ahmad; Ameen, Fuad; Qadri, Humaira; Singh, Sumit; Amarowicz, Ryszard

doi:10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e14572

Cited by 20 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 109 publications

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Finally, it has been suggested to use the earthworms E. fetida, E. andrei, Eudrilus eugeniae , and Perionix excavations to neutralize the effects of toxic substances in polluted sites (Gudeta et al 2023; Sharma and Garg 2018). Then, a potentially relevant management protocol (in Sargassum landfills) would be inoculating and propagating E. fetida and incorporating coffee pulp or other organic materials (agricultural, urban, and industrial) to accumulate and biotransform heavy metals, polyphenols, and other pollutants derived from Sargassum (Aulakh et al 2022; Gudeta et al 2023; Sharma & Garg 2018). However, the ecological relevance of E. fetida for evaluating soil quality has been questioned, as it only thrives in organic waste (biosolids) and does not inhabit the soil; instead, geophagous (endogean) species have been suggested as ideal and most susceptible to soil pollutants (Aulakh et al 2022).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Effect ofSargassumon the Behavior and Survival of the EarthwormEisenia fetida

Martínez-Cano,

Dorantes-Acosta,

Lara-González

et al. 2023

Preprint

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In the past decade,Sargassum natansandS. fluitanshave massively reached the Mexican Caribbean shores. As a result,Sargassumconfinement sites may be affecting the soil quality and health in coastal ecosystems and agroecosystems. The impact ofSargassum(e.g., polyphenols) on soil biodiversity has not yet been evaluated. Terrestrial ecotoxicological tests use the epigean earthwormEisenia fetidaas a model organism to assess the function of soil habitats. This study evaluated the behavior and survival of the earthwormE. fetidaexposed to fiveSargassumconcentrations (0, 25, 50, 75, and 100 %) using two toxicological tests. The avoidance test showed thatE. fetidarepelled (>80 %) a diet with 100 %Sargassum. In contrast, the acute test recorded a low mortality; however, the growth ofE. fetidawas lower with increasingSargassumconcentrations. It is concluded that the ability to repel andE. fetidabiomass are early warning bioindicators to predict the environmental risk ofSargassumin soil. Therefore, it is relevant to determine the potential risk of using earthworm compost andSargassumleachates as biofertilizers in agroecosystems.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effect ofSargassumon the Behavior and Survival of the EarthwormEisenia fetida

Martínez-Cano,

Dorantes-Acosta,

Lara-González

et al. 2023

Preprint

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“…Interestingly, the total microbial biomass was increased in SPE at 100, 500, and 1,000 mg·kg −1 Pb ( Table 1 ). This may be because when exposed to high levels of Pb, E. fetida secretes a diverse range of substances such as defensive peptides called drilodefensins and other metabolites for Pb detoxification ( Gudeta et al, 2023 ). These metabolites nourish the soil microbes, leading to an increase in total microbial biomass ( Table 1 ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ecologically different earthworm species are the driving force of microbial hotspots influencing Pb uptake by the leafy vegetable Brassica campestris

Tibihenda,

Zhong,

Liu

et al. 2023

Front. Microbiol.

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Food chain contamination by soil lead (Pb), beginning with Pb uptake by leafy vegetables, is a threat to food safety and poses a potential risk to human health. This study highlights the importance of two ecologically different earthworm species (the anecic species Amynthas aspergillum and the epigeic species Eisenia fetida) as the driving force of microbial hotspots to enhance Pb accumulation in the leafy vegetable Brassica campestris at different Pb contamination levels (0, 100, 500, and 1,000 mg·kg−1). The fingerprints of phospholipid fatty acids (PLFAs) were employed to reveal the microbial mechanism of Pb accumulation involving earthworm–plant interaction, as PLFAs provide a general profile of soil microbial biomass and community structure. The results showed that Gram-positive (G+) bacteria dominated the microbial community. At 0 mg·kg−1 Pb, the presence of earthworms significantly reduced the total PLFAs. The maximum total of PLFAs was found at 100 mg·kg−1 Pb with E. fetida inoculation. A significant shift in the bacterial community was observed in the treatments with E. fetida inoculation at 500 and 1,000 mg·kg−1 Pb, where the G+/G− bacteria ratio was significantly decreased compared to no earthworm inoculation. Principal component analysis (PCA) showed that E. fetida had a greater effect on soil microbial hotspots than A. aspergillum, thus having a greater effect on the Pb uptake by B. campestris. Redundancy analysis (RDA) showed that soil microbial biomass and structure explained 43.0% (R2 = 0.53) of the total variation in Pb uptake by B. campestris, compared to 9.51% of microbial activity. G− bacteria explained 23.2% of the total variation in the Pb uptake by B. campestris, significantly higher than the other microbes. The Mantel test showed that microbial properties significantly influenced Pb uptake by B. campestris under the driving force of earthworms. E. fetida inoculation was favorable for the G− bacterial community, whereas A. aspergillum inoculation was favorable for the fungal community. Both microbial communities facilitated the entry of Pb into the vegetable food chain system. This study delivers novel evidence and meaningful insights into how earthworms prime the microbial mechanism of Pb uptake by leafy vegetables by influencing soil microbial biomass and community composition. Comprehensive metagenomics analysis can be employed in future studies to identify the microbial strains promoting Pb migration and develop effective strategies to mitigate Pb contamination in food chains.

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“…In terms of biodiversity, MNPs can impact soil-dwelling organisms, such as earthworms, insects, and microorganisms (Khalid et al, 2020;Yao et al, 2020). Earthworms, essential for soil aeration and nutrient cycling, can inadvertently consume MPs while feeding on organic matter (Gudeta et al, 2023). This can lead to physical damage to their digestive systems and potential alterations in their behavior (Ding et al, 2022;Wang, Adams, et al, 2022;Wang, Yuan, et al, 2022).…”

Section: Effects On Soil Health and Biodiversitymentioning

confidence: 99%

Micro and nanoplastics pollution: A review on global concern and its impacts on ecosystems

Sharma,

Barman,

Mishra

et al. 2024

Land Degrad Dev

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In recent decades, the ubiquity of micro and nanoplastics (MNPs) pollution has emerged as a global concern due to its potential risks to both ecological and human health. The detrimental effects of MNPs have resulted in significant changes in the physicochemical and biological properties of terrestrial soil and benthic sediment. These alterations have led to a disrupted nutrient cycle, potential future climate hazards, and further impacts on ecosystem services. This review aims to discuss the possible origins, composition, abundance, life cycle, and transport processes of MNPs in aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. It seeks to understand the potential ecological and human health risks associated with MNPs pollution and explores their implications for biodiversity conservation and ecosystem services. Moreover, this review highlights the advanced analytical techniques used to detect and quantify MNPs. It further suggests policy frameworks to combat this pollution in natural environments. The findings of this review are intended to assist environmentalists, microbiologists, hydrologists, and policymakers in identifying scientific gaps and pragmatic solutions to reduce MNPs pollution. Future research should investigate the intake mechanism and impact of MNPs on plants in different ecosystems, as well as their effects on food chains and human health. This will ensure that the ecological and human health risks associated with MNPs pollution can be timely mitigated.

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Ecological adaptation of earthworms for coping with plant polyphenols, heavy metals, and microplastics in the soil: A review

Cited by 20 publications

References 109 publications

Effect ofSargassumon the Behavior and Survival of the EarthwormEisenia fetida

Effect ofSargassumon the Behavior and Survival of the EarthwormEisenia fetida

Ecologically different earthworm species are the driving force of microbial hotspots influencing Pb uptake by the leafy vegetable Brassica campestris

Micro and nanoplastics pollution: A review on global concern and its impacts on ecosystems

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