Soil micropore structure and carbon mineralization in burrows and casts of an anecic earthworm (Lumbricus terrestris)

Görres, Josef H.; Savin, Mary C.; Amador, José A.

doi:10.1016/s0038-0717(01)00068-2

Cited by 79 publications

(36 citation statements)

References 21 publications

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“…The burrow walls are coated with casts, urine and body-surfacesecreted mucus (Edwards and Bohlen, 1996;Gorres et al, 2001). Surface-secreted mucus selectively stimulates certain microbial taxa (Oleynik and Byzov, 2008).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The earthworm Aporrectodea caliginosa stimulates abundance and activity of phenoxyalkanoic acid herbicide degraders

Zaprasis

Liu

et al. 2010

The ISME Journal

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2-Methyl-4-chlorophenoxyacetic acid (MCPA) is a widely used phenoxyalkanoic acid (PAA) herbicide. Earthworms represent the dominant macrofauna and enhance microbial activities in many soils. Thus, the effect of the model earthworm Aporrectodea caliginosa (Oligochaeta, Lumbricidae) on microbial MCPA degradation was assessed in soil columns with agricultural soil. MCPA degradation was quicker in soil with earthworms than without earthworms. Quantitative PCR was inhibition-corrected per nucleic acid extract and indicated that copy numbers of tfdA-like and cadA genes (both encoding oxygenases initiating aerobic PAA degradation) in soil with earthworms were up to three and four times higher than without earthworms, respectively. tfdA-like and 16S rRNA gene transcript copy numbers in soil with earthworms were two and six times higher than without earthworms, respectively. Most probable numbers (MPNs) of MCPA degraders approximated 4 × 105 gdw−1 in soil before incubation and in soil treated without earthworms, whereas MPNs of earthworm-treated soils were approximately 150 × higher. The aerobic capacity of soil to degrade MCPA was higher in earthworm-treated soils than in earthworm-untreated soils. Burrow walls and 0–5 cm depth bulk soil displayed higher capacities to degrade MCPA than did soil from 5–10 cm depth bulk soil, expression of tfdA-like genes in burrow walls was five times higher than in bulk soil and MCPA degraders were abundant in burrow walls (MPNs of 5 × 107 gdw−1). The collective data indicate that earthworms stimulate abundance and activity of MCPA degraders endogenous to soil by their burrowing activities and might thus be advantageous for enhancing PAA degradation in soil.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The earthworm Aporrectodea caliginosa stimulates abundance and activity of phenoxyalkanoic acid herbicide degraders

Zaprasis

Liu

et al. 2010

The ISME Journal

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“…A few past studies on the aging of cast of anecics and endogeics have also reported high C mineralization in the initial period [7,50,51]. The reduction in WFPS with time may be influencing the extent of C mineralization as the days progressed because reduction in the water-filled pores during the storage might be curtailing the microbial access to the substrate [42,52]. The cast in the PUD and PPD storage also showed a maximum reduction in C dis content: more than 90 % in comparison to 71.7 ± 0.6 and 88.0 ± 0.3 %, respectively, in the AUD and APD storage.…”

Section: Chemical Propertiesmentioning

confidence: 98%

“…The changes in the WFPS of vermicast may have a distinct impact on the regulation of hydrological properties, gas diffusion, microbial colonization, nutrient mineralization etc. [42][43][44].…”

Section: Physical Propertiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effect of storage on the properties of vermicompost generated from paper waste: with focus on pre-drying and extent of sealing

Karthikeyan

Gajalakshmi

Abbasi

2014

Int J Energy Environ Eng

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The beneficial effects of vermicast on soil fertility in general, and agriculture in particular, are widely recognized, but there are no reports on the effect of storage on vermicast quality. The present study is an attempt to cover this knowledge gap as it may assist in the formulation of guidelines for packaging and storing of vermicast in a manner that preserves the cast's fertilizer value. Vermicast generated from paper waste was packed in airtight and partially sealed bags with and without pre-drying for 24 h. Changes in several physical, chemical, and biological properties of the castings were monitored for 3 months with weekly assessments. The results reveal that the beneficial properties of vermicast were the highest when it was fresh. There was deterioration on storage, which can be minimized if the castings are contained in airtight bags after pre-drying the casts.

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“…A related concept is the description of earthworm burrow linings as "drilosphere" (Lavelle et al 1989) which are enriched with nutrients, microflora, sorted minerals and even pollutants that have been concentrated as a consequence of earthworm feeding and casting (Lavelle and Martin 1992;Tomlin et al 1993). Görres et al (2001) observed that carbon mineralization was highest in soil taken from the linings of burrows, followed by cast and bulk soil. In addition, soil moisture moved readily from the bulk soil to the drilosphere because a greater proportion of the available pore space was associated with smaller pore diameters setting up a water flow gradient towards the burrow Can.…”

Section: Earthworm Ecology and Impact Of Agricultural Systems Some Ecmentioning

confidence: 99%

Earthworms and agricultural systems: Status of knowledge and research in Canada

Tomlin¹,

Fox²

2003

Can. J. Soil. Sci.

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Since the ratification of the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity, there has been increased interest in issues related to biodiversity, particularly with respect to soil biodiversity and the influence of agricultural practices. This paper is one of a series of papers contributing to a state of the art review initiated by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada on the status of soil biodiversity research in Canada, particularly with respect to agroecosystems. The objectives of this paper are to provide an overview of earthworm species distribution in Canada by province and territory, and to review research that illuminates our understanding of the ecological relationships of earthworms in agricultural systems. Most Canadian earthworm species are considered exotics having generally been dependent on human activity for their introduction and dispersal throughout the Canadian landscape. Twenty-seven earthworm species have been identified so far in Canada; of these, eight species are native to North America. Suggestions for future research on earthworm biodiversity within an agricultural context are discussed including: the need for increased spatial and temporal information on earthworm distributions across Canada, particularly with respect to Canada’s varied agroecosystems and landscapes; information on the ecology of earthworms with respect to their contributions to the soil system and their interactions with other soil fauna; the need for ecosystem process models relating earthworm contributions to soil structure formation and transport of materials and nutrients within the soil system; and the need to determine threshold levels of earthworm species associations in order to optimise effectively their contributions to soil quality and plant growth. To facilitate these studies, expansion of taxonomic expertise and capability across Canada will be required. Key words: Earthworms, agroecosystems, ecology, species distribution, soil biodiversity

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Soil micropore structure and carbon mineralization in burrows and casts of an anecic earthworm (Lumbricus terrestris)

Cited by 79 publications

References 21 publications

The earthworm Aporrectodea caliginosa stimulates abundance and activity of phenoxyalkanoic acid herbicide degraders

The earthworm Aporrectodea caliginosa stimulates abundance and activity of phenoxyalkanoic acid herbicide degraders

Effect of storage on the properties of vermicompost generated from paper waste: with focus on pre-drying and extent of sealing

Earthworms and agricultural systems: Status of knowledge and research in Canada

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