Earthworm influence on carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide fluxes from an unfertilized corn agroecosystem |
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Authors: | Alicia B Speratti Joann K Whalen Philippe Rochette |
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Institution: | (1) Department of Natural Resource Sciences, Macdonald Campus of McGill University, 21,111 Lakeshore Road, Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue, QC, H9X 3V9, Canada;(2) Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Sainte-Foy Research Centre, 2560 Hochelaga Blvd, Ste.-Foy, Quebec, G1V 2J3, Canada |
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Abstract: | Earthworms modify the soil environment through their feeding, casting, and burrowing activities, which may lead to more decomposition
and respiration in aerobic microsites and more denitrification in anaerobic microsites. The objective of this study was to
determine whether earthworms increase CO2 and N2O fluxes from an unfertilized corn agroecosystem. Earthworm populations within field enclosures (2.9 m2) were reduced by repeatedly applying carbaryl insecticide, then single and mixed populations of Lumbricus terrestris L. and Aporrectodea caliginosa (Savigny) were added. Gas samples were collected once a week for 14 weeks, from June to September 2005. Carbaryl applications
reduced, but did not eliminate earthworms from enclosures. The CO2 and N2O fluxes were affected by the sampling date, with peak gas fluxes after rainfall events. Mean CO2 and N2O fluxes during the study period tended to be greater from enclosures with added earthworms than the control (no earthworms
added), but were not significantly affected by earthworm treatments due to the low survival rate of introduced earthworms.
Better control of earthworm populations in the field is required to fully assess the impact of earthworms on CO2 and N2O fluxes from temperate agroecosystems. |
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Keywords: | Carbon dioxide Nitrous oxide Earthworm– microbial interactions Earthworm populations Field enclosures |
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