The activities of earthworms and the fates of seeds

Grant, James

doi:10.1007/978-94-009-5965-1_9

Cited by 51 publications

(62 citation statements)

References 10 publications

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“…Near the soil surface the castings increase the chances of germination ofseeds that are already burried in soil (Grant 1983). The present results offer evidence that plant growth promotors help the rapid growth of the plants despite the adversaries of high ammonia content of the castings.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Biological activity of earthworm casts: An assessment of plant growth promotor levels in the casts

Krishnamoorthy

Vajranabhaiah

1986

Proc. Indian Acad. Sci. (Anim. Sci.)

133

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Biochemical analyses and auxin and cytokinin bioassays were performed to test the biological activity of wormcasts. Both cellulose paper pulp and soil casts of Lampito mauritii were rich in ammonia, urea, organic carbon content, organic matter, soluble phosphorus and ionic potassium levels. The total nitrogen content of the soil remained unaffected by worm activations. The casts of Lampito mauritii, Pheretima elonl/ata, Pontoscolex corethrurus and Ocnerodrilus occidentalis had greater urea levels relative to ammonia levelsin contrast to those of Drawida barwelli, Octochaetoides beatrix and Perionyx excavatus. Worm activations of the leaf compost amended-soils by these species reduced the total phenol levelsto varying degree depending on the speciesexamined. Aging and exposures to light reduced the activity levelsof these plant growth promotors in the casts of L. mauritii. A positive correlation between the worm density at the site of soil sampling and the plant growth promotor levels in the samples was obtained. The origin of these promotors from the gut microftora of the worm and their subsequent release into the environment were discussed.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Biological activity of earthworm casts: An assessment of plant growth promotor levels in the casts

Krishnamoorthy

Vajranabhaiah

1986

Proc. Indian Acad. Sci. (Anim. Sci.)

133

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“…Since middens and casts represent nutrient-rich micro-sites with reduced competition between seedlings and the resident plant community (Milcu et al 2006b) earthworms likely facilitate seedling establishment. Supporting this assumption, Grant (1983) found 70% of the seedlings in temperate grasslands to germinate from earthworm casts, although casts only covered about 25% of the soil surface. Thus, particularly anecic earthworms may increase plant density by stimulating germination and by providing regeneration niches (Grubb 1977).…”

Section: Ecosystem Engineersmentioning

confidence: 93%

Aboveground–belowground interactions as a source of complementarity effects in biodiversity experiments

2011

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Background The positive relationship between biodiversity and ecosystem functioning (BEF) is due mainly to complementarity between species. Most BEF studies primarily focused on plant interactions; however, plants are embedded in a dense network of multitrophic interactions above and below the ground, which are likely to play a crucial role in BEF relationships. Scope In the present review I point out the relevance of aboveground-belowground interactions as a source of complementarity effects in grassland biodiversity experiments. A review of the current knowledge on the role of decomposers, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, rhizobia, plant growth promoting rhizobacteria, invertebrate ecosystem engineers, herbivores, pathogens and predators in biodiversity experiments, indicates that soil biota can drive both positive and negative complementarity between plant species via a multitude of mechanisms. Conclusions I pose four main processes by which aboveground-belowground interactions determine positive complementarity effects: enlarging biotope space, mediating legume effects, increasing plant community resistance, and maintaining plant diversity. By contrast, soil biota may also reinforce negative complementarity effects by competing with plants for nutrients or by exerting herbivore or pathogen pressure, thereby reducing community productivity. Thus, considering aboveground-belowground interactions as well as interactions between antagonistic and mutualistic consumers may improve the mechanistic understanding of complementarity effects in plant diversity-ecosystem functioning experiments and should inspire future research.

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“…Animals were not able to access herbaceous vegetation between shrubs; thus, plants produced seeds even under heavy grazing. Seeds in low shrublands disperse by many mechanisms: small seeds dispersed by wind, animals and overflow (Harper, 1977;Grant, 1983).…”

Section: Similarity and Relationship Between Soil Seed Bank And Abovementioning

confidence: 99%

Soil Seed Bank and Aboveground Vegetation in Grazing Lands of Southern Marmara, Turkey

Parlak

Gökkuş

Demiray

2011

Not Bot Hort Agrobot Cluj

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The composition and conservation of plant communities is greatly influenced by the soil seed bank. Information on the soil seed banks and the remaining vegetation in these ecosystems is crucial for guiding the restoration efforts. This study examines the size, species richness, diversity, uniformity, and similarity of soil seed banks and aboveground vegetation in 6 different grazing lands including coastal pasture, reseeded pasture, artificial pasture, lowland shrubland, ungrazed pasture, and hillside shrubland. Forty-eight soil samples were taken by cores with a diameter and depth of 10 cm from each of grazing lands in August of 2007. A vegetation survey was conducted using a 0.5 x 0.5-m quadrant in both the spring and fall. Eighty species were observed in soil seed banks and aboveground vegetation. . The most common species in seed banks were annual and perennial grasses in reseeded pasture, annual forbs in artificial pasture and hillside shrubland, and perennial forbs in low shrubland and ungrazed pasture. Species richness, diversity, and uniformity in seed banks were highest in lowland shrubland and lowest in artificial pasture. The seed bank and aboveground vegetation were similar in ungrazed pasture, coastal pasture, reseeded pasture, low shrubland, hillside shrubland and artificial pasture. Shrublands play an important role in species richness and the number of germinated seeds from seed banks of grazing lands in southern Marmara. The results showed that reseeding or a decrease in grazing pressure may improve the condition of grazing lands.

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The activities of earthworms and the fates of seeds

Cited by 51 publications

References 10 publications

Biological activity of earthworm casts: An assessment of plant growth promotor levels in the casts

Biological activity of earthworm casts: An assessment of plant growth promotor levels in the casts

Aboveground–belowground interactions as a source of complementarity effects in biodiversity experiments

Soil Seed Bank and Aboveground Vegetation in Grazing Lands of Southern Marmara, Turkey

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