Nutrient content of earthworm casts influenced by different mulch types

doi:10.1016/S1164-5563(99)00102-8

European Journal of Soil Biology

Volume 35, Issue 1, January–March 1999, Pages 23-30

https://doi.org/10.1016/S1164-5563(99)00102-8 Get rights and content

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of different mulch types on the quality and quantity of casts of different lumbricid earthworm species. Nutrient contents (organic carbon C_org, total nitrogen N_t and inorganic phosphate Pi), and acid phosphatase activity (SPA) of earthworm casts and soil aggregates were measured and then compared. This short time experiment was conducted in the laboratory, simulating field conditions of mulch management in temperate agroecosystems. In microcosms, the two common field species Lumbricus terrestris and Octolasion cyaneum were inoculated. Barley, lupin, maize, or sugarbeet were used as mulch according to amounts usually applied in the field. Nutrient contents and phosphatase activity in worm casts were generally enhanced compared to the soil. Nutrient values were higher in the casts of the detritivorous L. terrestris than those of the geophageous O. cyaneum. Conversely, the phosphatase activity was increased in the casts of O. cyaneum compared to L. terrestris in case of the barley and sugar-beet treatments. Cast production was related to the earthworms' change of biomass (ΔB) as well as, in the case of L. terrestris, to nitrogen content of the mulch. Due to their chemical compounds, the mulch types influence both the food selection of the worms and the acceptance by microorganisms.

Résumé

L'objectif de cette étude était d'étudier l'influence du type de mulch sur la qualité et la quantité des turricules produits par deux espèces lombriciennes. Dans ce but, les teneurs en azote total (Nt), en carbone organique (C_org), en phosphate inorganique (Pi) ainsi que l'activité de l'exoenzyme acide phosphatase (SPA) ont été mesurées dans les agrégats du sol et dans les turricules des lombriciens. Cette expérience a été menée, à court terme, en laboratoire, en simulant la gestion des mulch dans les agrosystèmes tempérés. Chaque microcosme a été inoculé avec les espèces lombriciennes, Lumbricus terrestris ou Octolasion cyaneum. La ressource trophique des vers était constituée d'orge, de lupin, de maïs ou de betterave à sucre. Ces végétaux ont été incorporés dans le sol tenant compte des quantités trouvées au champ. Les résultats montrent que la teneur en nutriments et l'activité de la phosphatase sont plus élevées dans les turricules des lombriciens que dans les agrégats du sol. L'accumulation des nutriments dans les turricules dépend de l'espèce. Elle est plus élevée pour le détritivore L. terrestris que pour le géophage O. cyaneum. Par contre, l'activité phosphatase est plus forte dans les turricules d'O. cyaneum que dans ceux de L. terrestris. La production de turricules est positivement corrélée au changement de biomasse (AB) des lombriciens et à la teneur en azote du mulch. La composition chimique du végétal influence non seulement son appétence pour les vers mais aussi sa sapidité pour les microorganismes.

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European Journal of Soil Biology

Abstract

Résumé

References (29)

Decomposition of shoot and root litter of barley, lucerne and meadow fescue under field conditions

Swedish J. Agric. Res.

Action de la faune sur les états de la matière organique dans les écosystèmes

Earthworm casts — affected by compacted soil?

Residue effects on soil micro-and macroorganisms

Effect of food type and placement on earthworm (Aporrectodea tuberculata) burrowing and soil turnover

Biol. Fertil. Soils

Microbial biomass and activity in contrasting soil materials after passage through the gut of the earthworm Lumbricus rubellus Hoffmeister

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Der Einfluβ chemischer und physikalischer Bodenmerkmale auf die Enzymaktivität verschiedener Bodentypen

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A method of studying the burrowing activities of earthworms

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FAO/Unesco Soil Map of the World, Revised Legend

Influence of food quality on the physical and chemical properties of detrivorous earthworm casts

Appl. Soil Ecol.

Influence de la qualité de la litière apporté à Lumbricus terrestris L. sur la dynamique de l'azote et la production végétale

Pedobologia

Food and cast analysis as a parameter of turn-over of materials by earhworms (Lumbricus terrestris L.)

Pedobiologia

Distribution of phosphomonoesterases in soils

Soil Sci.

Cited by (50)

The role of earthworms in agronomy: Consensus, novel insights and remaining challenges

Long-term quantification of the intensity of clay-sized particles transfers due to earthworm bioturbation and eluviation/illuviation in a cultivated Luvisol

Crop residues used as food drive enzyme activation and enzymatic stoichiometry in casts of the earthworm Aporrectodea caliginosa (Savigny, 1826)

Earthworm communities are supported by perennial bioenergy cropping systems

Dynamics of soil N<inf>2</inf>O emissions and functional gene abundance in response to biochar application in the presence of earthworms

Earthworms contribute to ecosystem process in no-till systems with high crop rotation intensity in Argentina

Nutrient content of earthworm casts influenced by different mulch typesL'influence du type de mulch sur la teneur en nutriments des turricules lombriciens

Abstract

Résumé

Decomposition of shoot and root litter of barley, lucerne and meadow fescue under field conditions

Swedish J. Agric. Res.

Action de la faune sur les états de la matière organique dans les écosystèmes

Earthworm casts — affected by compacted soil?

Residue effects on soil micro-and macroorganisms

Effect of food type and placement on earthworm (Aporrectodea tuberculata) burrowing and soil turnover

Biol. Fertil. Soils

Microbial biomass and activity in contrasting soil materials after passage through the gut of the earthworm Lumbricus rubellus Hoffmeister

Soil. Biol. Biochem.

Der Einfluβ chemischer und physikalischer Bodenmerkmale auf die Enzymaktivität verschiedener Bodentypen

Z. Pflanzenernähr. Bodenkd.

A method of studying the burrowing activities of earthworms

Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist.

FAO/Unesco Soil Map of the World, Revised Legend

Influence of food quality on the physical and chemical properties of detrivorous earthworm casts

Appl. Soil Ecol.

Influence de la qualité de la litière apporté à Lumbricus terrestris L. sur la dynamique de l'azote et la production végétale

Pedobologia

Food and cast analysis as a parameter of turn-over of materials by earhworms (Lumbricus terrestris L.)

Pedobiologia

Distribution of phosphomonoesterases in soils

Soil Sci.