@article{fdi:010086319,
  title = {{E}xploring the control of earthworm cast macro- and micro-scale features on soil organic carbon mineralization across species and ecological categories},
  author = {{L}e {M}er, {G}. and {B}ottinelli, {N}icolas and {D}ignac, {M}. {F}. and {C}apowiez, {Y}. and {J}ouquet, {P}ascal and {M}azurier, {A}. and {B}audin, {F}. and {C}aner, {L}. and {R}umpel, {C}.},
  editor = {},
  language = {{ENG}},
  abstract = {{T}he role of earthworms on biogeochemical carbon cycling is a major knowledge gap resulting from the difficulty of isolating and exploring the effects provided by the diversity of organisms. {I}n this study, we investigated the effect of six earthworm species belonging to three ecological categories on soil organic carbon ({SOC}) mineralization. {T}o this end, we produced casts in microcosms with the six species in the same soil and with the same litter material. {T}he casts were subjected to laboratory ageing for 140 days. {D}uring this process, we monitored physicochemical parameters, {CO}2 emissions and determined the micro-scale organization of the casts' particulate organic matter and pores using {X}-ray microtomography. {O}ur results showed contrasting properties of fresh casts of the three ecological categories, in accordance with the earthworm species' morphological or behavioral strategies, indicating that those were maintained in artificial environments. {H}owever, species-specific changes in cast properties throughout ageing increased intragroup variability among ecological categories. {A}s a result we observed earthworm species-specific evolution of {CO}2 mineralization rates during casts ageing. {W}e found that at least half of the variability in {CO}2 emissions was explained by cast microstructural changes, related to the spatial arrangement between particulate organic matter, porosity, and mineral particles. {W}e conclude that earthworm species-specific traits may play a role in organic carbon protection through their impact on microstructural cast properties.},
  keywords = {{E}arthworm ; {C}ast features ; {M}icrostructure ; {C} mineralization ; {P}hysical protection},
  booktitle = {},
  journal = {{G}eoderma},
  volume = {427},
  numero = {},
  pages = {116151 [10 ]},
  ISSN = {0016-7061},
  year = {2022},
  DOI = {10.1016/j.geoderma.2022.116151},
  URL = {https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010086319},
}