Using earthworms as model organisms in the laboratory: Recommendations for experimental implementations

Fründ, Heinz‐Christian; Butt, Kevin R.; Capowiez, Yvan; Eisenhauer, Nico; Emmerling, Christoph; Ernst, Gregor; Potthoff, Martin; Schädler, Martin; Schrader, Stefan

doi:10.1016/j.pedobi.2009.07.002

Cited by 138 publications

(78 citation statements)

References 62 publications

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“…The null to positive impacts of wood-based biochars on agronomic yields has also been observed in biochar field studies [86,87]. There is an identified need to standardize earthworm studies [88], and adequate data must be presented on the biochar properties, the environment in which they are to be used and influence on soil biota, so future meta-analyses can be conducted. More detailed initial and final evaluations of earthworm populations in short as well as long-term studies are necessary to elucidate the immediate and lasting effects of biochar before it becomes a widespread soil amendment.…”

Section: Future Stepsmentioning

confidence: 95%

Impact of Biochar on Earthworm Populations: A Review

Weyers

Spokas

2011

Applied and Environmental Soil Science

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Despite the overwhelming importance of earthworm activity in the soil system, there are a limited number of studies that have examined the impact resulting from biochar addition to soil. Biochar is part of the black carbon continuum of chemothermal converted biomass. This review summarizes existing data pertaining to earthworms where biochar and other black carbon substances, including slash-and-burn charcoals and wood ash, have been applied. After analyzing existing studies on black carbon, we identified that these additions have a range from short-term negative impacts to long-term null effects on earthworm population density and total biomass. Documented cases of mortality were found with certain biochar-soil combinations; the cause is not fully understood, but hypothesized to be related to pH, whether the black carbon is premoistened, affects feeding behaviors, or other unknown factors. With wood ashes, negative impacts were overcome with addition of other carbon substrates. Given that field data is limited, soils amended with biochar did not appear to cause significant long-term impacts. However, this may indicate that the magnitude of short-term negative impacts on earthworm populations can be reduced with time.

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Section: Future Stepsmentioning

confidence: 95%

Impact of Biochar on Earthworm Populations: A Review

Weyers

Spokas

2011

Applied and Environmental Soil Science

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“…Naïve individuals (see below) are exposed under control laboratory conditions, typically in microcosms (Fründ et al 2010), to one or several levels of contaminant concentrations, using either artificially contaminated substrates or field-sampled soils. Indeed, in most studies, authors compared phenotypes of conspecific individuals differentially exposed to one or several pesticides.…”

Section: Effect Of Pesticides At Infra-individual Levelmentioning

confidence: 99%

Pesticides and earthworms. A review

Pelosi¹,

Barot

Capowiez

et al. 2013

Agron. Sustain. Dev.

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273

166

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Earthworms provide key soil functions that favour many positive ecosystem services. These services are important for agroecosystem sustainability but can be degraded by intensive cultural practices such as use of pesticides. Many literature reports have investigated the effect of pesticides on earthworms. Here, we review those reports to assess the relevance of the indicators of earthworm response to pesticides, to assess their sensitivity to pesticides, and to highlight the remaining knowledge gaps. We focus on European earthworm species and products authorised in Europe, excluding natural compounds and metals. We consider different organisation levels: the infra-individual level (gene expression and physiology), the individual and population levels (life-history traits, population density and behaviour) and the community level: community biomass and density. Our analysis shows that earthworms are impacted by pesticides at all organisation levels. For example, pesticides disrupt enzymatic activities, increase individual mortality, decrease fecundity and growth, change individual behaviour such as feeding rate and decrease the overall community biomass and density.Insecticides and fungicides are the most toxic pesticides impacting survival and reproduction, respectively.

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“…25,26) Thus, many reviews have examined different aspects of earthworm ecotoxicology such as biomarkers, [27][28][29] or practical issues when these organisms are used in toxicity testing. 30,31) Historical Overview of Earthworm Esterases as Ecotoxicological Biomarkers…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Environmental applications of earthworm esterases in the agroecosystem

Sánchez-Hernández

2010

J. Pestic. Sci.

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Chemical control of pests is still necessary in agriculture, despite the growing efforts to introduce biocontrolbased strategies. Many studies have evidenced the harm of pesticide side-effects on natural populations of pest enemies and other non-target organisms. Moreover, pesticide-contaminated soils can act as a secondary pollution source causing contamination in environmental compartments of critical concern to public health (water resource). These environmental risks need to be assessed and monitored for decision-making related to the post-authorization management of pesticides. Under these considerations, earthworm esterases can be a suitable tool for these regulatory and environmental purposes. Herein, it is suggested the use of earthworm esterases as biomarkers to be included in a field toxicity test. Furthermore, the potential role of gut carboxylesterases (CEs) in the modulation of pesticide toxicity is discussed in view of their contribution to the natural tolerance of earthworms to pesticides, and consequently the appropriate selection of earthworm species for regulatory toxicity testing. Finally, it is postulated that CE secretion into the earthworm gut could be an environmental friendly methodology in the enzymatic bioremediation of pesticide-contaminated soils.

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Using earthworms as model organisms in the laboratory: Recommendations for experimental implementations

Cited by 138 publications

References 62 publications

Impact of Biochar on Earthworm Populations: A Review

Impact of Biochar on Earthworm Populations: A Review

Pesticides and earthworms. A review

Environmental applications of earthworm esterases in the agroecosystem

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