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1.
Summary Total populations of bacteria and fungi, dehydrogenase activity (as a measure of total potential microbial activity), and urease and phosphatase activities were determined in earthworm casts and surrounding laterite soils planted to pineapple. The casts contained higher microbial populations and enzyme activities than the soil. Except for fungal populations, statistically significant (P = 0.05) increases were found in all other parameters. Microbial populations and enzyme activities showed similar temporal trends with higher values in spring and summer and lower values in winter. The earthworm casts contained higher amounts of N, P, K and organic C than the soil (P = 0.05). Selective feeding by earthworms on organically rich substrates, which break down during passage through the gut, is likely to be responsible for the higher microbial populations and greater enzyme activity in the casts.  相似文献   

2.
Different earthworm species have different tolerances of acid soil conditions, and the application of lime to upland grassland to improve the grazing quality may therefore alter the size and diversity of the earthworm community. Altering soil properties may also affect the chemical characteristics of organic C in earthworm casts. We surveyed the earthworm community of an upland grassland in southern Scotland at the outset of annual lime applications, and after 3 years, and used 13C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy to assess the distribution of C between different functional groups in the organic matter. In addition, soil was incubated for 8 weeks with several earthworm species in the presence or absence of lime, and the earthworm casts were subsequently analysed by 13C NMR spectroscopy. Liming did not significantly affect earthworm abundance or species diversity, but it did affect the chemical composition of the casts. Casts from earthworms incubated in unlimed soil had greater ratios of alkyl‐C to O?alkyl‐C, indicative of more decomposed, recalcitrant C, and spectra from litter‐feeding species had the greatest intensities of O?alkyl‐C signals. In limed soil, the largest O?alkyl‐C signal intensities were not restricted to litter‐feeding species, indicating an increase in the quality of organic matter ingested by geophagous species.  相似文献   

3.
Earthworms are recognized to increase soil porosity, reorganize soil structure, and stimulate soil microflora and nutrient mineralization. The properties of earthworm casts should depend both on earthworm species or ecological group and on soil properties. Interactions between earthworm species and soil types have been suggested, but only poorly demonstrated. In order to better understand those interactions, two hypotheses led our study: (1) Soil type has a greater influence on cast properties than earthworm; (2) Earthworms from different species influence cast properties differently; (3) The intensity and direction of the impact of each earthworm species on cast properties vary with soil properties. Fifteen physical and chemical variables (N–NH4+, N–NO3−, total organic C and N, C/N ratio, CaCO3, pH, P, K+, Mg2+, Mn2+, Na+, CEC, moisture, wettability) were measured in casts of three earthworm species (Lumbricus terrestris, Allolobophora chlorotica and Aporrectodea rosea) produced in three temperate soils. Univariate and multivariate analyses showed that earthworm species and soil types significantly impacted cast properties. pH, Nt, K and Mg contents were interactively altered by both factors. Multivariate analysis showed that a difference of soil type had a major impact on casts properties (62%) compared to the impact of a difference of earthworm species (10%). Cast properties were most impacted by L. terrestris, then by A. chlorotica and last by A. rosea. The response ratio (ratio of the properties of the casts to the properties of the bulk soil) was used to quantify the effect of earthworm species compared to the control soil. It showed a higher response of variables in casts in nutrient-rich soils, especially in casts of L. terrestris. The interactions between earthworm species and soil types on cast properties were discussed with regards to earthworm ecology, properties of the soil, and earthworm modifications of cast microflora.  相似文献   

4.
An incubation experiment was conducted to study the changes that occur in potassium availability and other soil properties with ingestion of soil by earthworms. Two soils were used. Raumai soil with high non-exchangeable K and Milson soil with low non-exchangeable K were incubated with two species of earthworm, Aporrectodea caliginosa and Lumbricus rubellus, for 8 weeks. The casts and soil samples were analysed for exchangeable K, Ca, Mg, Na, and H, pH, organic C, and texture. The results indicated that in Raumai soil, the exchangeable K levels of the casts of both earthworm species were significantly higher than for the control soil, the effect being more marked for L. rubellus than for A. caliginosa. In Milson soil, the exchangeable K levels were significantly lower in the casts of both types of earthworm than in the control soil. The nitric acid-extractable K of the soil and casts was not markedly different for either soil type, but available non-exchangeable K values were significantly higher for the casts of L. rubellus from Milson soil than for the noningested Milson soil. In Raumai soil, the exchangeable Ca was higher in the casts of L. rubellus, exchangeable Mg and H were reduced, and exchangeable Na did not change markedly in the cast compared to the control soil. For Milson soil, the casts contained lower exchangeable Ca and H but higher Na and Mg than the control. The casts of both species of earthworm had significantly higher pH values for both soil types. There was no marked difference in the organic C content of the control soil and cast samples for Milson but a reduction in the casts of A. caliginosa for the Raumai soil. Finer fractions increased in the casts of both earthworm species in both soil types.  相似文献   

5.
《Applied soil ecology》2000,14(1):17-26
The anecic earthworm Lumbricus terrestris L. was kept in laboratory microcosms containing beech forest soil without litter, with beech leaf litter or with lime leaf litter. The structure of microfungal communities in soil, litter and fresh and aged (100 days) earthworm faeces was analysed using the washing and plating technique. The passage of mineral soil through the gut of L. terrestris affected the structure of the fungal community only little. In contrast, in the litter treatments the structure of the fungal community in fresh earthworm casts significantly differed from that in soil and litter. The majority of soil and litter inhabiting fungi survived passage through the gut of L. terrestris and the fungal community in casts consisted of a mixture of soil and litter inhabiting fungi. However, the frequency of Cladosporium spp., Alternaria spp., Absidia spp., and other taxa was strongly reduced in fresh casts. The degree of colonization of litter particles (number of isolates per number of plated particles) also decreased, but some fungi (mainly Trichoderma spp.) benefited from gut passage and flourished in fresh casts. During ageing of cast material the dominance structure of the fungal community changed. Both the degree of colonization of organic particles and the species diversity increased and approached that in soil. However, the structure of the fungal community in casts remained cast specific even after 100 days of incubation. It is concluded that the feeding and burrowing activity of L. terrestris accelerates the colonization of litter by the edaphic mycoflora but also extends the range of occurrence of litter-associated fungi into mineral soil layers.  相似文献   

6.
Long-term studies are essential to learn earthworm community development and soil formation post reclamation. Investigations were undertaken at a former steelworks site at Hallside, near Glasgow, UK, reclaimed in the 1990s using a mixture of colliery spoil and sewage sludge. The site was largely planted for production of short rotation coppice willow (Salix spp.). Earthworm inoculation formed a part of the restoration process. Minimal monitoring occurred in the interim, but some records of earthworm sampling existed in 2000 and 2005. This study focused on monitoring earthworms and soil properties across the site, drawing comparisons with adjacent unspoiled soil. Results showed that after 22 years, a species-rich community of earthworms (n=16) colonized the site, with endogeic Aporrectodea caliginosa being dominant by number and anecic A. longa by mass. Across the site, earthworm community density and biomass were 208 individuals m-2 and 71 g m-2, respectively. The Shannon diversity index for earthworms was 1.89, with an evenness of 0.68. The sewage sludge increased the soil organic matter, but the stone content of the colliery spoil prevented digging in some locations. Soil chemistry had no negative effect on earthworms, but the compacted substrate did hinder water infiltration. Earthworms colonized the reclaimed site from adjacent areas, and community structure and density below well-drained, scrub-free willow, birch, and grassland were not significantly different (P>0.05) from those of the adjacent unspoiled areas. The results show that the historical earthworm inoculation was unnecessary and badly timed. Future reclamations of similar sites can learn from this investigation.  相似文献   

7.
We investigated the influence of earthworm (Aporrectodea giardi) activity on soil properties and on atrazine (AT) adsorption and biodegradation by comparing a coarse‐textured smectite‐free wetland soil (Brittany, France) with the earthworm casts derived from the top horizon of this soil. Casts are characterized by lower pH, are enriched in organic carbon (OC) and clay content, have a larger cation exchange capacity, and a greater exchangeable Ca content. The clay mineralogy of the soil studied and casts is characterized by a muscovite–kaolinite–chlorite association. In addition, the clay fraction of the soil contains lepidocrocite (γ‐FeOOH), which was not found in the casts. Atrazine adsorption isotherms were reasonably well described by the Freundlich equation and were all non‐linear. The mean amounts of adsorbed AT for starting concentrations of 3–30 mg litre?1 ranged from 8 to 34%, being largest in earthworm casts. Soil AT adsorption capacity was well correlated with OC content. Non‐decomposed organic matter present in the coarse size fractions and specific compounds present in earthworm casts (proteins, mono‐ and polysaccharides, polyphenols, sugars, lignin) and microbial and fungal biomass contribute to AT adsorption. Weak electrostatic (physical) sorption of AT on organic compounds and on mineral surfaces prevails. For casts, the formation of additional hydrophobic interactions between AT and SOM is proposed. We also studied AT biodegradation by the model bacterium Pseudomonas sp. strain ADP in the presence of soils or earthworm casts. An enhancement of the AT disappearance rate was observed in the presence of all the solid matrices tested compared with that obtained in an aqueous medium. The biodegradation rate was shown to be dependent not only on the OC content of the solid matrix, but mainly on its composition and structure.  相似文献   

8.

Purpose

Endogeic earthworms play a significant role in biogeochemical cycles due to the large amount of soil they ingest, and because after transit through their guts, casts usually show differences in nutrient contents and microbial populations with bulk soil. Here, we studied how three endogeic earthworm species, Postandrilus majorcanus, Postandrilus sapkarevi and Postandrilus palmensis, inhabiting soils in Majorca island (Balearic Islands, W Mediterranean), modify nutrient pools and microbial communities of soil.

Materials and methods

To do this, we analysed C, N and P pools, microbial biomass (phospholipid fatty acids, PLFA) and microbial activity (fluorescein diacetate hydrolysis, FDA) in paired samples of bulk soil and fresh casts.

Results and discussion

The mineral and organic N contents were generally enhanced in casts produced by all three earthworm species. However, inorganic P and organic C contents were only higher in P. sapkarevi (32 %, only P) and P. majorcanus casts (100 % for both soil nutrient pools) than in bulk soil. Bacterial and fungal biomass were only higher than in bulk soil in P. majorcanus casts (65 and 100 %, respectively), but without effects on microbial activity, that was lower in P. palmensis casts (26 %). Earthworm gut transit strongly influenced the soil microbial community structure, resulting in differences between casts and soils.

Conclusions

The increased nutrient mineralization (6-, 1.3- and 1.4-fold for N, C and P, respectively) in casts produced by these earthworm species is of particular importance because of the amount of casts released and the seasonal variations in earthworm activity, which may favour plant growth.  相似文献   

9.
We investigated the erodibility of surface casts produced by an anecic earthworm of the Colombian savannahs by means of indoor rain simulations. The kinetic energy applied to samples, 21.62 J minute−1 m−2, was estimated to be equivalent to 41% of the energy of the more intense period of a local storm. The erodibility of casts was assessed at different stages of their ageing along with the effects of repeated wetting‐drying cycles. Bare soil cores and soil cores of the same size with a cast on their surface (soil + cast) were used as controls. Saturated hydraulic conductivity (HC) was measured to test whether casts enhance soil water permeability. Fresh, almost liquid, individual casts were completely dispersed by a 2‐hour rainfall simulation at a dispersion rate of 0.9 ± 0.5% of sample minute−1. After 5 hours drying at 32°C and 79% relative humidity, casts were as moist as fresh casts (non‐significant Mann–Whitney U‐test) but had a solid appearance and were no longer dispersed by raindrop impact. Under simulated rainfall, dry casts were very slowly fragmented into large aggregates (> 5 mm). The HC of casts was increased by repeated cycles of wetting and drying but unaffected by length of air‐drying and natural ageing, and averaged 7 (3, n = 6), 20 (3, n = 7) and 32 (1, n = 45) cm hour−1 for bare soil, soil + cast and all casts, respectively (standard error, sample size). Except for bare soil, these values were greater than the greatest rainfall intensities recorded locally. The consequences for soil erosion, nutrient losses and water infiltration are discussed.  相似文献   

10.
Earthworms are important soil animals in grassland ecosystems and are considered to be important to soil quality. The overall impact of earthworms on soil properties and plant diversity, however, depends on earthworm species, functional group and the type of ecosystem. The primary purpose of this study was to document the relationship among earthworms, key soil properties and native and exotic plant diversity in the little studied, Palouse prairie grassland (Idaho, USA). A secondary objective was to determine the effectiveness of three methods commonly used to sample earthworms. A hillslope characterized by Palouse prairie vegetation, well-expressed, hummocky (mounded) topography and known to support both exotic and native earthworm species was selected for study. The hillslope was divided into three zones [annual-dominated (AD), mixed (MX) and perennial-dominated (PD)] based on characteristics of the inter-mound plant communities described in previous research. Total earthworm biomass in the MX zone (53.5 g m−2) was significantly greater than in the PD zone (14.7 g m−2) (P = 0.0384), but did not differ from the AD zone. Earthworm density ranged from 52 to 81.1 individuals m−2 but was not significantly different across zones. Total C and N at 0 to 10 and 30 to 50 cm depths were significantly greater in the AD and PD zones as compared to the same depths in the MX zone. Soil textural class was silt loam within all zones and the soil silt fraction was positively correlated with total exotic earthworm density (R = 0.783, P = 0.0125) and biomass (R = 0.816, P = 0.0072). Native earthworms were only found in the zone with the greatest total and native plant diversity (PD). Total soil C and N were not correlated to earthworm density, but soil total C and N were significantly negatively correlated with exotic plant density, which indicates that invasive plants may be decreasing soil total C (R = −0.800) and N (R = −0.800). Calculated earthworm densities using data from the electroshocker were generally lower than those based on the hand-sorting method. Electroshocking, however, created lower disturbance and was the only method that resulted in the collection of the deep-burrowing, native species Driloleirus americanus.  相似文献   

11.
Laboratory experiments were carried out to investigate the fate of bacteria during and after passage through the intestinal tract of detritivore earthworms. Earthworms (Lumbricus spp.) were fed with cattle dung inoculated 7 days previously with one of five different Gram-negative bacteria. Bacterial concentrations were determined 2 days later in dung and soil, and in gut material from different parts of the earthworm intestinal tract. A high percentage (28–82%) of the total bacteria (epifluorescence direct counts) in the earthworm gut content was culturable. The concentration of total heterotrophic aerobic bacteria did not vary significantly among the five different bacterial additions and the non-inoculated control. In earthworm casts the number of total heterotrophs per gram dry matter (2.1×109) was higher than in soil (1.7×108), but lower than in the dung (1.5×1010). The test-bacteria, however, showed different survival patterns along the earthworm intestinal tract. The concentrations of Escherichia coli BJ 18 and Pseudomonas putida MM 1 and MM 11 in earthworm casts were lower than in the ingested dung, while concentrations of Enterobacter cloacae A 107 and Aeromonas hydrophila DMU 115 in dung and casts were similar. Ent. cloacae, and to aminor extent E. coli, were reduced in numbers by several orders of magnitude in the pharynx and/or crop. In the hind gut, however, the concentration of Ent. cloacae had increased to the same level as in the ingested dung, while the concentration of E. coli remained low. Our observations indicate that the bacterial flora of ingested food materials changes qualitatively and quantitatively during gut transit.  相似文献   

12.
Riparian buffers, located in the transition zone between terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, are a hotspot for nitrogen (N) removal through denitrification. Earthworms are abundant in riparian buffers and may enhance denitrification. This study investigated earthworm demographics of three earthworm functional groups (anecic, epigeic, and endogeic) and denitrifier activity in temporarily flooded and non-flooded riparian soils from April to October 2012 in southern Quebec, Canada. Nine earthworm species, mostly endogeic, were found in the temporarily flooded soil, while only six earthworm species were found in the non-flooded soil. On average, there were 11.7 times more earthworms with 12.4 times greater biomass (P<0.05) found in the temporarily flooded soil than in the non-flooded soil. The denitrification enzyme activity (DEA) was of similar magnitude in temporarily flooded and non-flooded soils, with temporal variation associated with rainfall patterns. Endogeic earthworm biomass was positively correlated (P<0.05) with DEA, while epigeic earthworm biomass was positively correlated (P<0.05) with 16S rRNA gene copies and nosZ gene copies from bacteria, indicating an association between earthworm functional groups and denitrifier activity in riparian soils. Stepwise multiple regressions showed that DEA in riparian soils could be predicted using soil moisture, inorganic N concentration, and earthworm functional groups, suggesting that endogeic and epigeic earthworms contributed to denitrifier activity in riparian soils.  相似文献   

13.
Low phosphorus (P) availability in Ferralsols of the Malagasy Highlands is a major limitation to crop growth. Direct seeding mulch-based cropping practices which were adopted in the region to improve and sustain soil fertility are known to favour earthworms’ presence. The mesocosm study aims to analyse the effect of an endogeic geophageous earthworm species on the soil P status. Total P content (P t), NaOH-extractable P content, P ions (Pi) concentration (C p) in solution and rapid and slow reactions of Pi in solution with solid phase were determined in two Malagasy Ferralsols. Both C p and reactions rates were assessed in laboratory batch experiments using 32Pi labelling and isotopic exchange kinetics (IEK). The P t values were 836 and 349 mg P g−1 in a clayey soil and a sandy–clayey soil, respectively. For both soils, NaOH-extractable organic P was significantly higher in earthworm casts than in parent soils, whereas Pt was unchanged. Also, the effect of earthworm ingestion significantly changed parameters of the IEK. In casts compared with the soil from which they were derived, the immediate isotopically exchangeable Pi (E 1 min) increased by 116%, whereas relative rates of Pi release at the solid-to-solution with time were slightly lowered. The effect of earthworm ingestion on IEK corresponded to a transfer of slowly exchangeable Pi towards quicker Pi pools of exchange. However, according to the literature, the increase in E 1 min remained below the critical level for optimal growth, stating that the soils remained P-deficient even in the presence of active and numerous earthworms.  相似文献   

14.
为揭示荒漠草原区域围封对不同土壤生境物种多样性和功能多样性的影响,以荒漠草原不同土壤生境下围封（15年、10年、6年）和放牧（15年、6年、5年）的草地植物群落为研究对象,基于方差分析和主成分分析的基础上,通过函数拟合分析,探讨植物物种多样性与功能多样性之间的关系。结果表明：（1）围封相对于自由放牧条件,灰钙土生境植物功能多样性显著增加（P<0.05）。随着封育年限的增加,物种多样性呈显著降低趋势（P<0.05）,功能多样性未发生显著变化（P>0.05）;风沙土生境植物功能多样性和物种多样性未发生显著变化（P>0.05）。（2）功能离散度表征的功能多样性与物种丰富度关系可用二次多项式Y=aX2+bX+c形式表示,随着封育年限的增加,二者的相关系数在灰钙土和风沙土生境均呈增加趋势。荒漠草原物种多样性与功能多样性整体正相关,且符合二次函数关系,物种多样性可以用来反映植物群落功能多样性的水平高低,但这种替代作用受封育年限和放牧的影响,随着封育年限增加,物种多样性反映功能多样性水平的能力增加,在未来荒漠草原多样性与生态系统功能关系及维持机制中,需要同时考虑多样性的多维度特征以及不同土壤生境类型。  相似文献   

15.
Summary This study aimed to establish the effects of Millsonia anomala, a tropical geophagous earthworm common in the humid savannas of Lamto (Ivory Coast), on soil organic matter dynamics over different time scales under laboratory conditions. The texture of casts produced by the worms fed on a shrub savanna soil was not significantly different from that of the soil, which showed that M. anomala ingested soil particles without selection. Physical fractionation of soil organic matter showed that the coarse organic fraction (250–2000 m) was depleted by 25–30% in fresh casts compared to the control noningested soil; this was mainly due to a fragmentation of coarse organic debris. Incubation of casts and a 2-mm sieved control soil under laboratory conditions for more than 1 year showed that the C mineralisation rate was almost four times lower in the casts (3% year-1) than in the control soil (11% year-1). We therefore concluded that on a long time scale M. anomala populations may significantly reduce the decomposition rate of soil organic matter in Lamto savannas.  相似文献   

16.
Mechanisms of stabilization of earthworm casts and artificial casts   总被引：4，自引：0，他引：4  
Summary Fresh casts were collected from the earthworm species Aporrectodea caliginosa, and artificial casts were also made. The casts were subjected to ageing, drying-rewetting, and sterilization by hexanol vapour. Clay dispersion was determined, as a measure of the lack of stability of the casts. Two soils were used, the topsoil of a recently reclaimed polder soil in the Netherlands and the topsoil from a South Australian duplex soil. For both soils the fresh worm casts had higher dispersible clay than the artificial casts. During ageing, both types of casts became more stable. There are strong indications that this was mainly due to changes on the surface of the casts. Fungi developed on the surface of 6-day-old worm casts made of Australian soil. This gave a higher stability to the casts compared to artificial casts of the same age without fungal growth. With both types of casts, hexanol inhibited fungal growth on the surface of the casts, reducing the stabilizing effect of ageing. The fungus did not develop on Dutch soil casts until after 42 days, and the development of a higher stability with age was also less marked than in the Australian soil. When the casts were subjected to a drying and rewetting cycle before analysis, they became much more stable than the casts that were analyzed wet. The drying-rewetting cycle removed most of the differences between the worm casts and the artificial casts, and also removed any effects of ageing.Dedicated to the late Prof. Dr. W. Kühnelt  相似文献   

17.
Summary Microbial populations were estimated in four different forest stands at different regenerational stages, two each at higher and lower altitudes. The fungal and bacterial populations showed marked seasonal variations at both altitudes. Quantitatively, the bacterial population was higher than the fungal population. Although 25 fungal species were isolated at the lower altitude, only 15 were obtained at the higher altitude. Penicillium chrysogenum and Trichoderma viride were dominant at the lower and higher altitudes, respectively. In the more degraded forest stand at the lower altitude both the fungal and the bacterial population showed a significant positive correlation with organic C (r=0.658 and 0.735, respectively), whereas in the less degraded forest stand there was a significant correlation only between the fungal population and organic C (r=0.835). At the higher altitude, however, a highly significant correlation (P<0.05) was observed between the fungal population, soil moisture and organic C in both the forest stands. Disturbance to the soil and vegetation adversely affected the microbial population, and also affected endogonaceous spores. At the lower altitude, plants in the more degraded forest stand were more mycotrophic compared to those in the less degraded stand. The level of mycorrhizal infection showed a highly positive correlation with soil moisture, organic C, total N, and available P. The spore population, however, was correlated negatively with these parameters. Three different endogonaceous genera, Glomus, Gigaspora, and Acaulospora, were identified during the course of investigation. Glomus, however, was dominant.  相似文献   

18.
 The effects of a large species of anecic earthworm, Martiodrilus carimaguensis Jiménez and Moreno, on soil C and N dynamics were investigated in a native savanna and a man-made pasture of the eastern plains of Colombia. We compared, across time (11 months), the total C, total N, NH+ 4 and NO– 3 contents in the earthworm casts, the underlying soil and the adjacent soil. Additional sampling of root biomass and macrofauna was performed. In the two management systems, the total C and N contents were higher in casts (4.33–7.50%) than in the bulk soil (2.81–4.08%), showing that the earthworms selected food substrates with high organic contents. In general, C contents significantly increased during cast ageing (+100%), possibly because of CO2 fixation processes, dead root accumulation and/or macrofaunal activities in casts. In fresh casts, NH+ 4 levels were very high (294.20–233.98 μg g–1 dry cast) when compared to the soil (26.96–73.95 μg g–1 dry soil), due to the intense mineralisation processes that occurred during the transit of soil and organic matter through the earthworm gut. During the first week of cast ageing, NH+ 4 levels sharply decreased, while NH– 3 levels showed successive peaks in the casts, the underlying soil and the adjacent soil. These results suggested the rapid production of NO– 3 by nitrification processes in the fresh casts, followed by diffusion to the nearby soil, first vertically, then horizontally. After 2 weeks of cast ageing, NH+ 4 and NO– 3 levels only showed slight variations, likely because of organic matter protection in stable dry casts. The root biomass was higher (1.6–4.7 times) below the old earthworm casts. The ecological significance of these results is discussed. Received: 22 October 1998  相似文献   

19.
To test the hypothesis that earthworm surface casts contribute to soil erosion and nutrient transfers in a temperate maize crop, two rainfall experiments were set up. One was focused on the erodibility of earthworm casts, the second examined in how casts affect water runoff and nutrient transfers. Casts produced from anecic and endogeic earthworm species were both analyzed. Visual observations in the field showed no cast transport but only cast disintegration and transfers of particles. Erodibility of newly deposited casts was high and differed significantly between age groups. Cast erosion was significantly positively related to initial mass when young but not when old. The paradox is that despite a high cast abundance (25% of the area) and obvious cast erosion, amounts of sediment and nutrient losses (C, N and P) in the runoff were at least twice as high without, than in the presence of, surface casts. Earthworm activities were shown to act as a physical brake for soil erosion by (i) creating a surface roughness with the deposition of surface casts and (ii) reducing water runoff by associated enhanced water percolation. Once the breaking-down point of the physical resistance of casts was reached, all surface casts were quickly disintegrated and finally completely washed away. The amount of particulate phosphorus recovered in water runoff was 34.7 mg P m− 2, while 128.5 mg P m− 2 was estimated to have been released from casts. The transfers were found to occur over a short-distance through successive deposition/suspension of soil particles in the water runoff.  相似文献   

20.
I assessed the direct influence of earthworm excretions, and the impact of earthworms through their action on the soil structure (increased macroporosity), on the population dynamics of the collembolan species Heteromurus nitidus. The intestinal content of Collembola arising from cultures on different soil types was observed, and two experimental cultures of H. nitidus were run: (1) a culture performed on an inert substrate supplied either with earthworm casts or with soil as food resource, (2) an experiment using microcosms with cores of two humus forms (moder and calcic mull), in the presence or absence of earthworms. The observation of gut contents revealed that H. nitidus feeds on excrements, the composition of which (ratio organic matter/mineral matter) varies according to the humus form where it lived. Slightly aged (10–15 days) organo-mineral casts of earthworms appeared to be a better food than calcic mull aggregates or organic material from moder. Densities of H. nitidus cultured in cores of calcic mull were higher than in moder, except when cores of moder were inhabited by an anecic earthworm for 2 months. The humus form strongly influenced populations of H. nitidus, firstly because densities of predators were higher in moder than in calcic mull, and probably also because of soil macroporosity. It was concluded that earthworms would affect predation on H. nitidus by creating a network of interconnected macropores in which Collembola can move and find shelter.  相似文献   

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