Do earthworms and roots cooperate to build soil macroaggregates? A microcosm experiment

Soil ecosystem engineers are major actors of soil macroaggregation, a process that drives the production of ecosystem services by soils. However, our inability to identify the origins of different types of macroaggregates found in soils is an obstacle to describing and modeling their dynamics and as...

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Autores principales: Zangerle, A., Pando, A, Lavelle, Patrick M.
Formato: Journal Article
Lenguaje:Inglés
Publicado: Elsevier 2011
Materias:
Acceso en línea:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/42751
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author Zangerle, A.
Pando, A
Lavelle, Patrick M.
author_browse Lavelle, Patrick M.
Pando, A
Zangerle, A.
author_facet Zangerle, A.
Pando, A
Lavelle, Patrick M.
author_sort Zangerle, A.
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description Soil ecosystem engineers are major actors of soil macroaggregation, a process that drives the production of ecosystem services by soils. However, our inability to identify the origins of different types of macroaggregates found in soils is an obstacle to describing and modeling their dynamics and associated processes (C sequestration; hydraulic properties). This laboratory study investigated mechanisms of biological soil macroaggregation by two different earthworm species (Apporectodea caliginosa (Savigny) and Allolobophora chlorotica (Savigny) and two plant species (Trifolium pratense, Plantago lanceolata L.), in isolation and in all possible combinations. Near infrared (NIR) spectral analysis significantly discriminated macroaggregates according to the organisms that created them since each organism produced macroaggregates with distinct NIR signals (p < 0.001). The largest departure from the control signal was observed with T. pratense whereas earthworms and P. lanceolata specific signals were less contrasted. Macroaggregates formed in the presence of more than one ecosystem engineers had mixed signals showing that several actors had participated in their construction. This means that roots and earthworms did not produce macroaggregates in isolation and rather added their effects in building structures of mixed origins. Further studies based on the present methodology will tell us more on below ground behaviors of ecosystem engineers and their interactive building of soil habitats.
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spelling CGSpace427512024-08-27T10:36:44Z Do earthworms and roots cooperate to build soil macroaggregates? A microcosm experiment Zangerle, A. Pando, A Lavelle, Patrick M. soil structural units earthworms soil biology soil fertility unidades estructurales de suelos lombriz de tierra biología del suelo fertilidad del suelo Soil ecosystem engineers are major actors of soil macroaggregation, a process that drives the production of ecosystem services by soils. However, our inability to identify the origins of different types of macroaggregates found in soils is an obstacle to describing and modeling their dynamics and associated processes (C sequestration; hydraulic properties). This laboratory study investigated mechanisms of biological soil macroaggregation by two different earthworm species (Apporectodea caliginosa (Savigny) and Allolobophora chlorotica (Savigny) and two plant species (Trifolium pratense, Plantago lanceolata L.), in isolation and in all possible combinations. Near infrared (NIR) spectral analysis significantly discriminated macroaggregates according to the organisms that created them since each organism produced macroaggregates with distinct NIR signals (p < 0.001). The largest departure from the control signal was observed with T. pratense whereas earthworms and P. lanceolata specific signals were less contrasted. Macroaggregates formed in the presence of more than one ecosystem engineers had mixed signals showing that several actors had participated in their construction. This means that roots and earthworms did not produce macroaggregates in isolation and rather added their effects in building structures of mixed origins. Further studies based on the present methodology will tell us more on below ground behaviors of ecosystem engineers and their interactive building of soil habitats. 2011-11 2014-09-24T07:58:31Z 2014-09-24T07:58:31Z Journal Article https://hdl.handle.net/10568/42751 en Limited Access Elsevier
spellingShingle soil structural units
earthworms
soil biology
soil fertility
unidades estructurales de suelos
lombriz de tierra
biología del suelo
fertilidad del suelo
Zangerle, A.
Pando, A
Lavelle, Patrick M.
Do earthworms and roots cooperate to build soil macroaggregates? A microcosm experiment
title Do earthworms and roots cooperate to build soil macroaggregates? A microcosm experiment
title_full Do earthworms and roots cooperate to build soil macroaggregates? A microcosm experiment
title_fullStr Do earthworms and roots cooperate to build soil macroaggregates? A microcosm experiment
title_full_unstemmed Do earthworms and roots cooperate to build soil macroaggregates? A microcosm experiment
title_short Do earthworms and roots cooperate to build soil macroaggregates? A microcosm experiment
title_sort do earthworms and roots cooperate to build soil macroaggregates a microcosm experiment
topic soil structural units
earthworms
soil biology
soil fertility
unidades estructurales de suelos
lombriz de tierra
biología del suelo
fertilidad del suelo
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/42751
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