Abstract
The effect of the endogeic earthworm species Octolasion tyrtaeum (Savigny) on decomposition of uniformly 14C-labelled lignin (lignocellulose) was studied in microcosms with upper mineral soil (Ah-horizon) from two forests on limestone, representing different stages of succession, a beech- and an ash-tree-dominated forest. Microcosms with and without lower mineral soil (Bw-horizon) were set-up; one O. tyrtaeum was added to half of them. It was hypothesised that endogeic earthworms stabilise lignin and the organic matter of the upper mineral soil by mixing with lower mineral soil of low C content. Cumulative C mineralization was increased by earthworms and by the addition of lower mineral soil. Effects of the lower mineral soil were more pronounced in the beech than in the ash forest. Cumulative mineralization of lignin was strongly increased by earthworms, but only in the beech soil (+24.6%). Earthworms predominantly colonized the upper mineral soil; mixing of the upper and lower mineral soils was low. The presence of lower mineral soil did not reduce the rates of decomposition of organic matter and lignin; however, the earthworm-mediated increase in mineralization was less pronounced in treatments with (+8.6%) than in those without (+14.1%) lower mineral soil. These results indicate that the mixing of organic matter with C-unsaturated lower mineral soil by endogeic earthworms reduced microbial decomposition of organic matter in earthworm casts.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Aldag R, Graff O (1975) N-Fraktionen in Regenwurmlosung und deren Ursprungsboden. Pedobiologia 15:151–153
Anderson JPE, Domsch KH (1978) A physiological method for the quantitative measurement of microbial biomass in soils. Soil Biol Biochem 10:215–221
Bal L (1982) Zoological ripening of soils. Centre for Agricultural Publishing and Documents, Wageningen
Bernier N (1998) Earthworm feeding activity and development of the humus profile. Biol Fertil Soils 26:215–223
Crawford RL (1981) Lignin biodegradation and transformation. Wiley, New York
Edwards CA, Bohlen P (1996) Biology and ecology of earthworms. Chapman and Hall, New York
Entry JA, Stark NM, Lowenstein H (1987) Timber harvesting: effects on degradation of cellulose and lignin. For Ecol Manag 22:79–88
Graff O (1971) Stickstoff, Phosphor und Kalium in der Regenwurmlosung auf der Wiesenversuchsfläche des Sollingprojektes. Ann Zool 4:503–512
Guggenberger G, Zech W, Thomas RJ (1995) Lignin and carbohydrate alteration in particle-size separates of an oxisol under tropical pastures following native savanna. Soil Biol Biochem 27:1629–1638
Haider K (1988) Der mikrobielle Abbau des Lignins. Forum Mikrobiol 11:477–482
Hassink J, Whitmore AP, Kubat J (1997) Size and density fractionation of soil organic matter and the physical capacity of soils to protect organic matter. Eur J Agron 7:189–199
Haynes RJ, Fraser PM, Tregurtha RJ, Piercy JE (1999) Size and activity of the microbial biomass and N, S and P availability in earthworm casts derived from arable and pastoral soil and arable soil amended with plant residues. Pedobiologia 43:568–573
Jastrow JD (1996) Soil aggregate formation and the accrual of particulate and mineral-associated organic matter. Soil Biol Biochem 28:665–676
Joergensen RG (1991) Organic matter and nutrient dynamics of the litter layer on a forest Rendzina under beech. Biol Fertil Soils 11:163–169
Joergensen RG, Scheu S (1999) Response of soil microorganisms to the addition of carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus in a forest Rendzina. Soil Biol Biochem 31:859–866
Kirk TK, Farrell RL (1987) Enzymatic “combustion”: the microbial degradation of lignin. Annu Rev Microbiol 41:465–505
Kögel-Knabner I (1993) Biodegradation and humification processes in forest soil. In: Bollag J-M, Stotzky G (eds) Soil Biochemistry, vol 8. Dekker, New York, pp 105–135
Kubiena WL (1948) Entwicklungslehre des Bodens. Springer, Wien
Lee KE (1985) Earthworms—their ecology and relationships with soils and land use. Academic, Sydney
Macfadyen A (1970) Simple methods for measuring and maintaining the proportion of carbon dioxide in air, for use in ecological studies of soil respiration. Soil Biol Biochem 2:9–18
Müller PE (1950) Forest soil studies, a contribution to silvicultural theory. III. On compacted ground deficient in mull, especially in beech forest. Dan Skovforen Tidsskr 1:10–619
Neuhauser EF, Hartenstein R, Connors J (1978) The role of soil macroinvertebrates in the degradation of vanillin, cinnamic acid, and lignins. Soil Biol Biochem 10:431–435
Reid ID (1979) The influence of nutrient balance on lignin degradation by the white-rot fungus Phanerochaete chrysosporium. Can J Bot 57:2050–2058
Schaefer M (1991a) Ecosystem processes: secondary production and decomposition. In: Röhrig E, Ulrich B (eds) Temperate deciduous forests. Ecosystems of the world. Elsevier, Amsterdam, pp 175–218
Schaefer M (1991b) Animals in European temperate deciduous forest. In: Röhrig E, Ulrich B (eds) Temperate deciduous forests. Ecosystems of the world. Elsevier, Amsterdam, pp 503–525
Scheu S (1987a) Microbial activity and nutrient dynamics in earthworm casts (Lumbricidae). Biol Fertil Soils 5:230–234
Scheu S (1987b) The role of substrate feeding earthworms (Lumbricidae) for bioturbation in a beechwood soil. Oecologia 72:192–196
Scheu S (1990) Changes in the microbial nutrient status during secondary succession and its modification by earthworms. Oecologia 84:351–358
Scheu S (1991) Mucus excretion and carbon turnover of endogeic earthworms. Biol Fertil Soils 12:217–220
Scheu S (1993a) Litter microflora–soil macrofauna interactions in lignin decomposition: a laboratory experiment with 14-C-labelled lignin. Soil Biol Biochem 25:1703–1711
Scheu S (1993b) Cellulose and lignin decomposition in soils from different ecosystems on limestone as affected by earthworm processing. Pedobiologia 37:167–177
Schmidt O, Scrimgeour CM, Curry JP (1999) Carbon and nitrogen stable isotope ratios in body tissue and mucus of feeding and fasting earthworms (Lumbricus festivus). Oecologia 118:9–15
Shipitalo MJ, Protz R (1989) Chemistry and micromorphology of aggregation in earthworm casts. Geoderma 45:357–374
Six J, Conant, RT, Paul EA, Paustian K (2002) Stabilization mechanisms of soil organic matter: implications for C-saturation of soils. Plant Soil 241:155–176
Swift RS (2001) Sequestration of carbon by soil. Soil Sci 166:858–871
Swift MJ, Heal OW, Anderson JM (1979) Decomposition in terrestrial ecosystems. Blackwell, Oxford
Thöle R, Meyer B (1979) Bodengenetische und-ökologische Analyse eines repräsentativen Areals der Göttinger Muschelkalk-Schale als landschaftsökologische Planungsgrundlage. Gött Bodenkdl Ber 59:230
Tiunov AV, Scheu S (2004) Carbon availability controls the growth of detritivores (Lumbricidae) and their effect on nitrogen mineralization. Oecologia 138:83–90
Wolters V (2000) Invertebrate control of soil organic matter stability. Biol Fertil Soils 31:1–19
Acknowledgements
We thank two anonymous reviewers for their helpful comments on the original manuscript. Financial support was provided by the DFG priority programme SPP 1090 “Soils as source and sink for CO2”.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Marhan, S., Scheu, S. Mixing of different mineral soil layers by endogeic earthworms affects carbon and nitrogen mineralization. Biol Fertil Soils 42, 308–314 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00374-005-0028-7
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00374-005-0028-7