Field experiment reveals varied earthworm densities boost soil organic carbon more than they increase carbon dioxide emissions
Earthworms play crucial roles in regulating soil organic carbon (SOC) and greenhouse gas emissions in forest soils. Laboratory studies have proven that they promote soil carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. However, the effects of earthworm activity on forest soil CO2 emissions and organic carbon (C) hav...
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Elsevier
2025-04-01
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| Series: | Geoderma |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0016706125000898 |
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| author | Yufeng Qiu Ronggui Tang Yihong Liu Youchao Chen Yuye Shen Shoujia Zhuo Yanjiang Cai Scott X. Chang |
| author_facet | Yufeng Qiu Ronggui Tang Yihong Liu Youchao Chen Yuye Shen Shoujia Zhuo Yanjiang Cai Scott X. Chang |
| author_sort | Yufeng Qiu |
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| description | Earthworms play crucial roles in regulating soil organic carbon (SOC) and greenhouse gas emissions in forest soils. Laboratory studies have proven that they promote soil carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. However, the effects of earthworm activity on forest soil CO2 emissions and organic carbon (C) have not yet been quantified in situ, and the impact of different earthworm densities remain unclear. In this study, we investigated how earthworm (Pheretima guillelmi) activity at three densities (no earthworms, original density, and double the original density) affected SOC, its labile fractions, C-related enzyme activities, and soil CO2 emissions in a Moso bamboo (Phyllostachys edulis) forest ecosystem over a six-month field experiment. Our results showed that the original earthworm density resulted in a 23.4 % increase in soil CO2 emissions, while double the original earthworm density resulted in a 9.6 % reduction in emissions compared to the original density. Additionally, earthworms at both densities significantly increased the concentration of SOC and its labile fractions. Notably, the increase in SOC density (SOCD, SOC stock per unit land area, kg C ha−1) induced by earthworm activity far exceeded the increase in CO2-C emissions. Specifically, the earthworms at double the original density led to an 8.8-fold increase in SOCD, while the original density resulted in a 3.7-fold increase. Furthermore, our findings identified dissolved organic C (DOC) as the most critical labile organic C fraction influencing soil CO2 emissions associated with earthworm activity, while β-glucosidase (BG) was the most significant C-related enzyme affecting soil CO2 emissions driven by earthworm activity. These results provide important insights into the role of earthworms in both CO2 emissions and SOC accumulation in subtropical forests. |
| format | Article |
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| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 1872-6259 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-04-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
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| series | Geoderma |
| spelling | doaj-art-e3c9f7c85547447ca1961ce849cb9ce32025-08-20T03:08:35ZengElsevierGeoderma1872-62592025-04-0145611725110.1016/j.geoderma.2025.117251Field experiment reveals varied earthworm densities boost soil organic carbon more than they increase carbon dioxide emissionsYufeng Qiu0Ronggui Tang1Yihong Liu2Youchao Chen3Yuye Shen4Shoujia Zhuo5Yanjiang Cai6Scott X. Chang7National Key Laboratory for Development and Utilization of Forest Food Resources, College of Environment and Resources, College of Carbon Neutrality, Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou 311300, ChinaNational Key Laboratory for Development and Utilization of Forest Food Resources, College of Environment and Resources, College of Carbon Neutrality, Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou 311300, China; Corresponding author at: College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang A&F University, No. 666, Wusu Street, Lin’an District, Hangzhou 311300, China.National Key Laboratory for Development and Utilization of Forest Food Resources, College of Environment and Resources, College of Carbon Neutrality, Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou 311300, ChinaNational Key Laboratory for Development and Utilization of Forest Food Resources, College of Environment and Resources, College of Carbon Neutrality, Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou 311300, ChinaNational Key Laboratory for Development and Utilization of Forest Food Resources, College of Environment and Resources, College of Carbon Neutrality, Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou 311300, ChinaNational Key Laboratory for Development and Utilization of Forest Food Resources, College of Environment and Resources, College of Carbon Neutrality, Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou 311300, ChinaNational Key Laboratory for Development and Utilization of Forest Food Resources, College of Environment and Resources, College of Carbon Neutrality, Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou 311300, ChinaDepartment of Renewable Resources, University of Alberta, Edmonton T6G 2E3 CanadaEarthworms play crucial roles in regulating soil organic carbon (SOC) and greenhouse gas emissions in forest soils. Laboratory studies have proven that they promote soil carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. However, the effects of earthworm activity on forest soil CO2 emissions and organic carbon (C) have not yet been quantified in situ, and the impact of different earthworm densities remain unclear. In this study, we investigated how earthworm (Pheretima guillelmi) activity at three densities (no earthworms, original density, and double the original density) affected SOC, its labile fractions, C-related enzyme activities, and soil CO2 emissions in a Moso bamboo (Phyllostachys edulis) forest ecosystem over a six-month field experiment. Our results showed that the original earthworm density resulted in a 23.4 % increase in soil CO2 emissions, while double the original earthworm density resulted in a 9.6 % reduction in emissions compared to the original density. Additionally, earthworms at both densities significantly increased the concentration of SOC and its labile fractions. Notably, the increase in SOC density (SOCD, SOC stock per unit land area, kg C ha−1) induced by earthworm activity far exceeded the increase in CO2-C emissions. Specifically, the earthworms at double the original density led to an 8.8-fold increase in SOCD, while the original density resulted in a 3.7-fold increase. Furthermore, our findings identified dissolved organic C (DOC) as the most critical labile organic C fraction influencing soil CO2 emissions associated with earthworm activity, while β-glucosidase (BG) was the most significant C-related enzyme affecting soil CO2 emissions driven by earthworm activity. These results provide important insights into the role of earthworms in both CO2 emissions and SOC accumulation in subtropical forests.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0016706125000898Field experimentGreenhouse gasPheretima guillelmiSoilSubtropical forests |
| spellingShingle | Yufeng Qiu Ronggui Tang Yihong Liu Youchao Chen Yuye Shen Shoujia Zhuo Yanjiang Cai Scott X. Chang Field experiment reveals varied earthworm densities boost soil organic carbon more than they increase carbon dioxide emissions Geoderma Field experiment Greenhouse gas Pheretima guillelmi Soil Subtropical forests |
| title | Field experiment reveals varied earthworm densities boost soil organic carbon more than they increase carbon dioxide emissions |
| title_full | Field experiment reveals varied earthworm densities boost soil organic carbon more than they increase carbon dioxide emissions |
| title_fullStr | Field experiment reveals varied earthworm densities boost soil organic carbon more than they increase carbon dioxide emissions |
| title_full_unstemmed | Field experiment reveals varied earthworm densities boost soil organic carbon more than they increase carbon dioxide emissions |
| title_short | Field experiment reveals varied earthworm densities boost soil organic carbon more than they increase carbon dioxide emissions |
| title_sort | field experiment reveals varied earthworm densities boost soil organic carbon more than they increase carbon dioxide emissions |
| topic | Field experiment Greenhouse gas Pheretima guillelmi Soil Subtropical forests |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0016706125000898 |
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