@article{fdi:010053153,
  title = {{L}aboratory investigation of organic matter mineralization and nutrient leaching from earthworm casts produced by {A}mynthas khami},
  author = {{J}ouquet, {P}ascal and {P}huong {N}go {T}hi, and {H}anh {N}guyen {H}ong, and {H}enry-des-{T}ureaux, {T}hierry and {C}hevallier, {T}iphaine and {T}oan {T}ran {D}uc,},
  editor = {},
  language = {{ENG}},
  abstract = {{E}arthworms are considered soil engineers due to their effects on soil properties including the creation of cast-aggregates which are usually enriched in organic matter compared to the surrounding soil. {H}ow earthworms influence the dynamics of soil organic matter ({SUM}) and mineral nutrients is still poorly understood, partly because the relationships between cast dynamics and {SOM} and mineral nutrient cycling are unknown. {I}n this study, two laboratory experiments were carried out on free aggregates (casts or soil clods) sampled from the soil surface in a tropical fallow field before the rainy season ({M}arch 2008). {I}n the first experiment, a 12 h rainfall simulation (intensity: 44 mm h(-1)) experiment was used to monitor fragmentation and nutrient leaching from {A}mynthas khami earthworm casts and soil clods. {C}ontrol soil aggregates > 5000 mu m were rapidly (similar to 2 h) broken into large water-stable aggregates (> 500 mu m) and then into smaller water-stable aggregates (<500 mu m). {C}onversely, the fragmentation of earthworm casts was progressive and more than 12 h were needed to totally fragment the casts into small size aggregates (<500 mu m). {S}oil nutrient loss varied depending on aggregate size but it was always higher from cast than from control soil aggregates. {NH}4+ and {NO}3- releases showed linear dynamics vs. time, whereas {K} and {P} were tightly associated with the soil aggregates and their losses were significant only after 4 h of rainfall. {T}he total amount of {N}-{NH}4+, {N}-{NO}3-, {K} and {P} losses were, respectively, 8-, 7-, 12- and 2-fold greater from casts than from the control soil aggregates. {I}n the second experiment, different aggregate sizes (50-250, 250-500 and 500-2000 mu m) from casts and control soil aggregates were sampled during the rainfall simulation and incubated at 28 {C} for 21 days. {T}he total amount of {K} and {P} was not affected by soil aggregate size. {T}he aggregate hierarchy concept was not confirmed because more {C} was observed in the smaller aggregate size fractions. {O}rganic {C} and {N} mineralization, however, increased with increasing aggregate size for casts, but the opposite trend was observed for the control soil aggregates. {T}his study therefore highlights the importance of earthworm activity for the transfer of mineral nutrients and the protection of {SUM} within microaggregates.},
  keywords = {{SOM} ; {S}oil aggregation dynamics ; {S}oil aggregate organization ; {N}utrient ; cycling ; {R}ainfall simulation ; {E}arthworm casts},
  booktitle = {},
  journal = {{A}pplied {S}oil {E}cology},
  volume = {47},
  numero = {1},
  pages = {24--30},
  ISSN = {0929-1393},
  year = {2011},
  DOI = {10.1016/j.apsoil.2010.11.004},
  URL = {https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010053153},
}