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Cast production and NIR spectral signatures of Aporrectodea caliginosa fed soil with different amounts of half-decomposed Populus nigra litter

Biology and Fertility of Soils volume 45, pages 839–844 (2009)Cite this article

Abstract

Sub-adult individuals of Aporrectodea caliginosa were incubated for 16 weeks under laboratory cultures in a soil treated with 0%, 10% or 50% of a Populus nigra half-decomposed leaves, respectively. Growth was maximum in the 50% organic matter treatment and cocoon production occurred. Average soil ingestion rates decreased from 1.56 g/g−1 fresh weight of worm per day−1 in control soil to 1.17 and 0.5 g, respectively, in treatments with 10% and 50% half-decomposed litter. Surface casts never comprised more than 10% of total cast production. Near-infrared spectrometry (NIRS)signatures of digested and non-ingested soil significantly differed and showed a rather constant effect of digestion, independent of the organic matter content (p < 0.01). These results confirm the value of NIRS spectral signatures as indicators of the origin of soil aggregates and biological processes involved in soil aggregation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Natural Resources and Environment, South China Agricultural University, 510642, Guangzhou, China

    Chi Zhang & Jun Dai

  2. UMR BIOEMCO, IRD, Université de Paris 6, 32 rue Henri Varagnat, 93143, Bondy Cedex, France

    Romain Langlest & Anne Pando

  3. UMR BIOEMCO, IRD, Université de Paris 6, TSBF Institute of CIAT, Cali, Colombia

    Patrick Lavelle

  4. Sede Palmira, Universidad Nacional de Colombia Palmira, Valle, Colombia

    Elena Velasquez

  5. TSBF Institute of CIAT, Cali, Colombia

    Romain Langlest, Elena Velasquez & Anne Pando

  6. UR SeqBio, IRD/MOST, 911 avenue Agropolis, BP 64501, 34394, Montpellier Cedex 5, France

    Didier Brunet

Authors
  1. Chi Zhang
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  2. Romain Langlest
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  3. Elena Velasquez
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  4. Anne Pando
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  5. Didier Brunet
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  6. Jun Dai
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  7. Patrick Lavelle
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Correspondence to Patrick Lavelle.

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Zhang, C., Langlest, R., Velasquez, E. et al. Cast production and NIR spectral signatures of Aporrectodea caliginosa fed soil with different amounts of half-decomposed Populus nigra litter. Biol Fertil Soils 45, 839–844 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00374-009-0395-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00374-009-0395-6

Keywords

  • Earthworm casts
  • NIR spectral signature
  • Soil macroaggregates
  • Aporrectodea caliginosa

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