Blanchart Eric, Lavelle P., Braudeau Erik, Le Bissonnais Y., Valentin Christian. (1997). Regulation of soil structure by geophagous earthworm activities in humid savannas of Côte d'Ivoire. Soil Biology and Biochemistry, 29 (3/4), p. 431-439. ISSN 0038-0717.
Titre du document
Regulation of soil structure by geophagous earthworm activities in humid savannas of Côte d'Ivoire
Année de publication
1997
Type de document
Article
Auteurs
Blanchart Eric, Lavelle P., Braudeau Erik, Le Bissonnais Y., Valentin Christian
Source
Soil Biology and Biochemistry, 1997,
29 (3/4), p. 431-439 ISSN 0038-0717
The role of endogeic earthworms in the maintenance of the structure of an African savanna soil has been investigated in a 28-month field experiment. Changes of aggregate size distribution, porosity and aggregate stability were analysed in undisturbed soil monoliths from which earthworms had been removed and which had then been submitted to four treatments : recolonization by natural savanna fauna (control, 12 replicates) ; introduction of a population of Millsonia anomala, a large earthworm (13 replicates) ; introduction of a population of small filiform eudrilid earthworms (13 replicates), and no recolonization by earthworms (12 replicates). At the end of the experiment, significant differences were observed among the four treatments. M. anomala was responsible for the formation of macroaggregates > 5.0 mm whereas eudrilid earthworms egested smaller aggregates (0.5-5 mm). The results suggest that the presence of both types of worms is necessary to maintain the natural soil structure. If one or both types of worm are excluded from the soil, the initial structure is greatly affected. (Résumé d'auteur)
Plan de classement
Constituants et propriétés des sols [068PROSOL]
Descripteurs
STRUCTURE DU SOL ; SAVANE ; LOMBRIC ; GRANULOMETRIE ; MICROMORPHOLOGIE ; STABILITE STRUCTURALE
