@article{fdi:010055738,
  title = {{C}omparative study of earthworm communities, microbial biomass, and plant nutrient availability under 1-year {C}ajanus cajan ({L}.) {M}illsp and {L}ablab purpureus ({L}.) {S}weet cultivations versus natural regrowths in a guinea savanna zone},
  author = {{K}one, {A}. {W}. and {E}doukou, {E}. {F}. and {T}ondoh, {J}. {E}. and {G}onnety, {J}. {T}. and {A}ngui, {P}. {K}. {T}. and {M}asse, {D}ominique},
  editor = {},
  language = {{ENG}},
  abstract = {{I}n tropical savannas where soils are generally sandy and nutrient poor, organic farming associated with enhanced soil biological activity may result in increased nutrient availability. {T}herefore, legumes have been introduced in the humid savanna zone of {C}te d'{I}voire, owing to their ability to fix atmospheric {N} and to continually supply soil with great quantity of organic materials in relatively short time. {T}he main objective of this study was to assess the influence of two legume ({C}ajanus cajan and {L}ablab purpureus) cultivations on earthworm communities and {P} and {N} availability. {T}rials were carried out under farmers' field conditions; {C}. cajan was planted on savanna soils (trial 1) while {L}. purpureus was established on new {C}hromolaena odorata-dominated fallow soils (trial 2). {N}ative vegetations were considered as controls. {C}hanges in soil properties (earthworm abundance and diversity, microbial biomass carbon ({MBC}), and plant available {P} and {N}) were assessed using the biosequential sampling. {A}fter 1 year, both the legume stands showed a significantly higher density of earthworms, compared with the respective controls. {T}his trend was linked to an increase in the abundance of the detritivores {D}ichogaster baeri {S}ciacchitano 1952 and {D}ichogaster saliens {B}eddard 1893, and the polyhumic {S}tuhlmannia zielae {O}modeo 1963. {E}qually, legume had beneficial impacts on the average number of earthworm species, the {S}hannon-{W}eaver index of diversity and {MBC} in savanna (trial 1). {A}vailable {P} and ammonium significantly increased under both legume cultivations and were significantly and concurrently linked to litter quality and earthworm activities as shown by multiple regressions. {A}s a result, legumes could improve nutrient availability in the sandy soils of central {C}te d'{I}voire by positively affecting soil biological activity and this could bring farmers to cultivate crops on savanna lands.},
  keywords = {{L}egumes ; {E}arthworm communities ; {M}icrobial biomass {C} ; {P}lant available {P} ; and {N} ; {S}andy poor soils ; {G}uinea savanna},
  booktitle = {},
  journal = {{B}iology and {F}ertility of {S}oils},
  volume = {48},
  numero = {3},
  pages = {337--347},
  ISSN = {0178-2762},
  year = {2012},
  DOI = {10.1007/s00374-011-0630-9},
  URL = {https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010055738},
}