Bottinelli Nicolas auteur aut IRD Maeght Jean-Luc auteur aut IRD Le V. N. T. auteur aut IRD Boonchamni C. auteur aut IRD Doan T. T. auteur aut IRD Tran T. M. auteur aut IRD Aroui Boukbida Hanane auteur aut IRD Smaili Lotfi auteur aut IRD Jouquet Pascal auteur aut IRD text journalArticle eng text/pdf born digital access Understanding the variables explaining earthworm cast properties remains a key challenge in soil ecology. this purpose, this study aimed to determine the relationships between the physical and chemical properties earthworm casts and those of their surrounding soil environment. Surface earthworm casts (recently emitted degraded) produced by the anecic earthworm Amynthas khami (Thai 1984) and adjacent topsoil aggregates without traces of earthworm activity were sampled in 50 different locations covering a small watershed northern Vietnam. We determined the organic carbon content, the spectral signatures of aggregates and humic index of organic matter via mid-infrared spectroscopy and analysis of pH, hydrophobicity, wet aggregate stability and bulk density of soil aggregates. While the physical properties of casts were not related to those of topsoil aggregates, correlations were measured between cast and topsoil aggregate chemical properties. The values of hydrophobicity, pH, bulk density and organic carbon were higher in casts than in topsoil aggregates, whereas the humic index values were lower in casts than in topsoil aggregates. No difference was measured between recent and degraded casts, with the exception of their spectral signatures. Interestingly, the effect of A. khami was more important in soils presenting a lower organic carbon content or higher humic index, whereas its influence on soil pH was constant (i.e., the same regardless of the pH of the topsoil). In conclusion, this study suggests a discrepancy between impact of A. khami on soil physical and chemical properties. The results also show that the spatial variability cast physical properties cannot be related with that of topsoil environment physical properties. specialized Earthworm Aggregation Vietnam Physical properties Chemical properties VIET NAM 068 074 158 103792 [ ] 2021 0929-1393 https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010080530 10.1016/j.apsoil.2020.103792 0929-1393 [F B010080530] https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010080530 https://www.documentation.ird.fr/intranet/publi/2021/01/010080530.pdf Accès réservé (Intranet de l'IRD) IRD - Base Horizon / Pleins textes 2021-02-08 2025-02-24 fdi:010080530 fre