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Microbial communities of Lumbricus terrestris L. middens: structure, activity, and changes through time in relation to earthworm presence

  • SOILS, SEC 2 • MICROBIAL COMMUNITIES • RESEARCH ARTICLE
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Abstract

Background, aim, and scope

Earthworms make a major contribution to decomposition in ecosystems where they are present, mainly acting in the drilosphere, that is, galleries, burrows, casts, and middens. Earthworm middens are hot-spots of microbial activity and nutrient dynamics and represent a suitable model for studying earthworm-mediated influences on soil microbial communities by alteration of the patch structure of the microbial environment. We studied the structure and activity of the microbial communities in the soil system formed by middens of Lumbricus terrestris and the soil below and surrounding them and the role of earthworms in maintaining these structures through time.

Material and methods

We set up an experiment in which middens were either left (control) or removed from their original place (translocated) and left in a nearby area free of earthworm activity for 2 months. After 1 and 2 months we sampled middens, soil below them, and surrounding soil. We analyzed the phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) profiles and measured respiratory fluxes of CO2 and CH4.

Results

Microbial communities of middens clearly differed from those of soil below and surrounding soil samples, showing higher bacterial and fungal PLFAs (p < 0.0001 and p < 0.01, respectively); furthermore, changes in microbial communities were stronger in control middens than in translocated middens. Moreover, gram positive and negative bacterial PLFAs were greater in translocated than control middens (p < 0.0001 and p < 0.001, respectively), as well as total organic carbon (p < 0.001). Microbial activity was higher in middens than in soil below and surrounding soil samples both for CO2 (p < 0.0001) and CH4 (p < 0.0001).

Discussion

Soil bioturbation by the earthworm L. terrestris was strong in their middens, but there was not any effect on soil below and surrounding soil. Microbial communities of middens maintain their biomass and activity when earthworms were not present, whereas they decreased their biomass and increased their activity when earthworms were present.

Conclusions

Earthworms strongly enhanced microbial activity measured as CO2 production in middens, which indicates that there are hot spots for soil microbial dynamics and increasing habitat heterogeneity for soil microorganisms. Moreover, our data strongly support the fact that the impact of this earthworm species in this soil is restricted to their middens and increasing soil heterogeneity.

Recommendations and perspectives

Our data indicate that it is not clear if earthworms enhance or depress microbial communities of middens since the microbial activity increased, but did not modify their biomass and this was not dependent on soil organic C content. These results indicate no competence for C pools between this anecic earthworm and microorganisms, which has been found for other earthworm species, mainly endogeics. Conversely, they suggest some type of facilitation due to the release of additional nutrient pools in middens when earthworms are present, through the digestion of middens' material or the addition of casts produced from other food sources.

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Acknowledgements

Manuel Aira was financially supported by a postdoctoral fellowship from Xunta de Galicia, and is now financially supported by Parga-Pondal research program from Xunta de Galicia. Debbie from Hazelrigg Weather Station helpfully provided weather data.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departamento de Ecoloxía e Bioloxía Animal, Facultade de Ciencias, Universidade de Vigo, E-36310, Vigo, Spain

    Manuel Aira & Jorge Domínguez

  2. Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster, LA1 AP, UK

    Niall P. McNamara

  3. Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science and Technology, Lancaster University, Lancaster, LA1 4YQ, UK

    Trevor G. Piearce

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  1. Manuel Aira
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  2. Niall P. McNamara
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  3. Trevor G. Piearce
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  4. Jorge Domínguez
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Correspondence to Manuel Aira.

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Responsible editor: Chengron Chen

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Aira, M., McNamara, N.P., Piearce, T.G. et al. Microbial communities of Lumbricus terrestris L. middens: structure, activity, and changes through time in relation to earthworm presence. J Soils Sediments 9, 54–61 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11368-008-0055-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11368-008-0055-8

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