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Impact of Earthworm Introduction on Litter Burial and Nutrient Distribution in Ohio Strip‐Mine Spoil Banks
Author(s) -
Vimmerstedt John P.,
Finney James H.
Publication year - 1973
Publication title -
soil science society of america journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.836
H-Index - 168
eISSN - 1435-0661
pISSN - 0361-5995
DOI - 10.2136/sssaj1973.03615995003700030023x
Subject(s) - earthworm , lumbricus terrestris , humus , litter , tonne , nutrient , environmental science , alder , agronomy , botany , biology , chemistry , soil water , ecology , soil science , organic chemistry
Earthworms ( Lumbricus terrestris L.) actively buried leaf litter and humus, and deposited castings on the surface of an acid (pH 3.5–4.0) shale spoil bank revegetated with black locust ( Robinia pseudoacacia L.). Earthworms persisted for 5 years in the coal spoils and buried or consumed the equivalent of 5 metric tons of leaf litter/ha. In a greenhouse study, earth‐worms in cores of spoil from the mined area buried or consumed a 60‐mm thick layer of litter and humus in 174 days. The equivalent of 9.5 metric tons of litter and 52.5 metric tons of humus was buried or consumed/ha, while the equivalent of 16.7 metric tons of castings was deposited on the surface. Exchangeable cations and available P in the mineral spoils increased as follows: K from 0.17 to 0.19, Ca from 1.7 to 2.7, and Mg from 1.8 to 2.5 meq/100 g of spoil; and available P increased from 1.7 to 4.2 ppm. Earthworm activity did not influence growth of northern red oak ( Quercus rubra L.) seedlings planted in the cores. In another study, 10 Lumbricus terrestris were introduced on a calcareous strip‐mine spoil revegetated with European alder ( Alnus glutinosa L.). In 5 years, the earthworm population increased to a density of 60 middens/m 2 over an area of 700 m 2 . Clearly, earthworms can be established on revegetated coal spoil banks, where they promote incorporation of organic matter into the mineral spoil.