Atrazine and metolachlor were more strongly retained on earthworm (Lumbricus terrestris L.) castings than on soil, suggesting that earthworm castings at the surface or at depth can reduce herbicide movement in soil. Herbicide sorption by castings was related to the food source available to the earthworms. Both atrazine and metolachlor sorption increased with increasing organic carbon (C) conten...

• Earthworm remove PAHs from soil by bioaccumulation and stimulating microbial degradation. Biochar can adsorb promote degradation in soil. improve the adsorption process of biochar bioturbation. reduce vermiaccumulation decomposition earthworm. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) pose a threat to health humans other organisms due their persistence. The remediation method combined applicati...

In the gut tissues and contents of the earthworm Pheretima (Metaphire) hilgendorfi, cellulase activity which contributes to the terrestrial ecosystem nutrient cycling has been detected. The origin of the cellulase production, whether it is the earthworm itself or the microorganisms, has not been established at the molecular level. In our study, a cellulase [endo-β-1,4glucanase (EGase), EC3.2.1....

BACKGROUND Infiltration is a key process in determining the water balance, but so far effects of earthworms, soil texture, plant species diversity and their interaction on infiltration capacity have not been studied. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS We measured infiltration capacity in subplots with ambient and reduced earthworm density nested in plots of different plant species (1, 4, and 16 s...

The Pheretima complex within the Megascolecidae family is a major earthworm group. Recently, the systematic status of the Pheretima complex based on morphology was challenged by molecular studies. In this study, we carry out the first comparative mitogenomic study in oligochaetes. The mitogenomes of 15 earthworm species were sequenced and compared with other 9 available earthworm mitogenomes, w...

The gut of many soil arthropods contains a complex and mutualistic microbial community that usually assists the host with digestion. The same is probably true for earthworms, but the nature and function of the microbiota inhabiting their gut are virtually unknown. In this paper, we studied the microbial community in the gut content of the earthworm Lumbricus terrestris L. and in the bulk soil b...

Earthworm activity is known to increase emissions of nitrous oxide (N(2)O) from arable soils. Earthworm gut, casts, and burrows have exhibited higher denitrification activities than the bulk soil, implicating priming of denitrifying organisms as a possible mechanism for this effect. Furthermore, the earthworm feeding strategy may drive N(2)O emissions, as it determines access to fresh organic m...

BACKGROUND Recent studies suggested that the earthworm Lumbricus terrestris might act as a seedling predator by ingesting emerging seedlings, and individuals were observed damaging fresh leaves of various plant species in the field. To evaluate the significance of herbivore behavior of L. terrestris for plant and earthworm performance we exposed 23- to 33-days-old seedlings of six plant species...

BACKGROUND Earthworms play a critical role in organic matter decomposition because of the interactions they establish with microorganisms. The ingestion, digestion, assimilation of organic material in the gut and then casting is the first step in earthworm-microorganism interactions. The current knowledge of these direct effects is still limited for epigeic earthworm species, mainly those livin...

BACKGROUND Epigeic earthworms are key organisms in organic matter decomposition because of the interactions they establish with microorganisms. The earthworm species and the quality and/or substrate availability are expected to be major factors influencing the outcome of these interactions. Here we tested whether and to what extent the epigeic earthworms Eisenia andrei, Eisenia fetida and Perio...