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Chemical composition of earthworm casts as a tool in understanding the earthworm contribution to ecosystem sustainability - a review

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  • Madalina Iordache

    (Department of Sustainable Development and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Life Sciences "King Michael I", Timișoara, Romania)

Abstract

Earthworms dominate the soil biota, and different structural and functional features of their biology and ecology have been studied and exploited to evaluate their contributions as ecosystem services. Due to their feeding ecology, burrowing and casting activity, earthworms are involved in the nutrient cycles, and therefore it is opportune to be considered when the biogeochemical cycles of the terrestrial ecosystems are analysed. All structural, microbiological and biogeochemical impacts of earthworms in soil start with their feeding and digestive functions, which end in casting. The casting activity consisting of the excretion of the ingested soil and organic matter after digestion processes depends on earthworm feeding behaviours and ecology, even described in the current literature as a new ecological feature: the casting ecology. The complexity of the chemical relationships occurring inside earthworm casts between main nutrients (organic carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium) highlights the complexity of the biogeochemical cycles and the great earthworms' contribution to these cycles in the ecosystems towards a better understanding of the soil sustainability through the soil biodiversity contribution. Due to this great contribution, the earthworms' casts should be included as indicators in the integrative conservation management of the ecosystems, as a re-thinking of the concept of ecosystem sustainability.

Suggested Citation

  • Madalina Iordache, 2023. "Chemical composition of earthworm casts as a tool in understanding the earthworm contribution to ecosystem sustainability - a review," Plant, Soil and Environment, Czech Academy of Agricultural Sciences, vol. 69(6), pages 247-268.
  • Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlpse:v:69:y:2023:i:6:id:461-2022-pse
    DOI: 10.17221/461/2022-PSE
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Weixin Zhang & Paul F. Hendrix & Lauren E. Dame & Roger A. Burke & Jianping Wu & Deborah A. Neher & Jianxiong Li & Yuanhu Shao & Shenglei Fu, 2013. "Earthworms facilitate carbon sequestration through unequal amplification of carbon stabilization compared with mineralization," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 4(1), pages 1-9, December.
    2. Mingming Wang & Xiaowei Guo & Shuai Zhang & Liujun Xiao & Umakant Mishra & Yuanhe Yang & Biao Zhu & Guocheng Wang & Xiali Mao & Tian Qian & Tong Jiang & Zhou Shi & Zhongkui Luo, 2022. "Global soil profiles indicate depth-dependent soil carbon losses under a warmer climate," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-11, December.
    3. Ingrid M. Lubbers & Kees Jan van Groenigen & Steven J. Fonte & Johan Six & Lijbert Brussaard & Jan Willem van Groenigen, 2013. "Greenhouse-gas emissions from soils increased by earthworms," Nature Climate Change, Nature, vol. 3(3), pages 187-194, March.
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