Earthworm abundance increases aggregate stability : A field study in a Mediterranean agroforestry system
Reis, Filipa ; Nascimento, Eduardo ; Cruz, Cristina ; Dias, Teresa ; Hedlund, Katarina LU
; Briones, María J.I.
; Berg, Matty P.
; Sousa, José Paulo
and Martins da Silva, Pedro
(2025)
In Applied Soil Ecology
206.
- Abstract
Soil aggregate stability has been asserted as an indicator of soil quality. Earthworms are essential for the stability of soil aggregates due to their activities, including burrowing and organic matter decomposition. In this study, we focused on how differences in plant litter quality influences earthworm abundance and composition and, subsequently, macroaggregate stability in an agroforestry ecosystem. Litter from two dominant plant species (Quercus suber L. and Agrostis pourretii Willd.) were collected in an eco-intensively managed agroforestry ecosystem (eco-intensive farm) and in a neighbor conventionally managed agroforest (conventional farm). Then, a field experiment was implemented in the eco-intensive farm, composed of 6 litter... (More)
Soil aggregate stability has been asserted as an indicator of soil quality. Earthworms are essential for the stability of soil aggregates due to their activities, including burrowing and organic matter decomposition. In this study, we focused on how differences in plant litter quality influences earthworm abundance and composition and, subsequently, macroaggregate stability in an agroforestry ecosystem. Litter from two dominant plant species (Quercus suber L. and Agrostis pourretii Willd.) were collected in an eco-intensively managed agroforestry ecosystem (eco-intensive farm) and in a neighbor conventionally managed agroforest (conventional farm). Then, a field experiment was implemented in the eco-intensive farm, composed of 6 litter treatments (control with no litter; Q. suber senescent leaves from the eco-intensive farm; A. pourretii tussocks from the eco-intensive farm; a mixture of the previous two; Q. suber senescent leaves from the conventional farm; A. pourretii tussocks from the conventional farm), replicated across 3 areas of the farm, with two blocks per area (a total of 6 replicates per treatment). Litter decomposition rates for the different treatments were quantified over 15 months. At the end of the experiment, soil from each treatment was sampled to measure macroaggregate stability and other soil parameters (i.e., moisture, organic matter, pH, TC, TOC, P, N, NO3−, NH4+, humic and fulvic acids, water repellence), as well as earthworms. Earthworm abundance had a positive effect on macroaggregate stability (as expressed by the ratio between stable macroaggregates and the total amount of soil), irrespective of litter quality, while litter quality had no direct effect on macroaggregate stability. According to our study's findings, earthworms have a significant intervenient role in the stabilization of soil aggregates in Mediterranean agroforests. This emphasizes the necessity for soil management practices that maintain earthworm communities and their beneficial contributions to soil health.
(Less)
- author
- Reis, Filipa
; Nascimento, Eduardo
; Cruz, Cristina
; Dias, Teresa
; Hedlund, Katarina
LU
; Briones, María J.I.
; Berg, Matty P.
; Sousa, José Paulo
and Martins da Silva, Pedro
- organization
- publishing date
- 2025
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- Agroforestry, Earthworms, Plant litter, Soil aggregate stability
- in
- Applied Soil Ecology
- volume
- 206
- article number
- 105903
- publisher
- Elsevier
- external identifiers
-
- scopus:85215856287
- ISSN
- 0929-1393
- DOI
- 10.1016/j.apsoil.2025.105903
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- 71a5d0df-1062-4b58-b75e-258971aa21a1
- date added to LUP
- 2025-04-01 15:38:36
- date last changed
- 2025-04-07 17:23:03
@article{71a5d0df-1062-4b58-b75e-258971aa21a1,
abstract = {{<p>Soil aggregate stability has been asserted as an indicator of soil quality. Earthworms are essential for the stability of soil aggregates due to their activities, including burrowing and organic matter decomposition. In this study, we focused on how differences in plant litter quality influences earthworm abundance and composition and, subsequently, macroaggregate stability in an agroforestry ecosystem. Litter from two dominant plant species (Quercus suber L. and Agrostis pourretii Willd.) were collected in an eco-intensively managed agroforestry ecosystem (eco-intensive farm) and in a neighbor conventionally managed agroforest (conventional farm). Then, a field experiment was implemented in the eco-intensive farm, composed of 6 litter treatments (control with no litter; Q. suber senescent leaves from the eco-intensive farm; A. pourretii tussocks from the eco-intensive farm; a mixture of the previous two; Q. suber senescent leaves from the conventional farm; A. pourretii tussocks from the conventional farm), replicated across 3 areas of the farm, with two blocks per area (a total of 6 replicates per treatment). Litter decomposition rates for the different treatments were quantified over 15 months. At the end of the experiment, soil from each treatment was sampled to measure macroaggregate stability and other soil parameters (i.e., moisture, organic matter, pH, TC, TOC, P, N, NO<sub>3</sub><sup>−</sup>, NH<sub>4</sub><sup>+</sup>, humic and fulvic acids, water repellence), as well as earthworms. Earthworm abundance had a positive effect on macroaggregate stability (as expressed by the ratio between stable macroaggregates and the total amount of soil), irrespective of litter quality, while litter quality had no direct effect on macroaggregate stability. According to our study's findings, earthworms have a significant intervenient role in the stabilization of soil aggregates in Mediterranean agroforests. This emphasizes the necessity for soil management practices that maintain earthworm communities and their beneficial contributions to soil health.</p>}},
author = {{Reis, Filipa and Nascimento, Eduardo and Cruz, Cristina and Dias, Teresa and Hedlund, Katarina and Briones, María J.I. and Berg, Matty P. and Sousa, José Paulo and Martins da Silva, Pedro}},
issn = {{0929-1393}},
keywords = {{Agroforestry; Earthworms; Plant litter; Soil aggregate stability}},
language = {{eng}},
publisher = {{Elsevier}},
series = {{Applied Soil Ecology}},
title = {{Earthworm abundance increases aggregate stability : A field study in a Mediterranean agroforestry system}},
url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.apsoil.2025.105903}},
doi = {{10.1016/j.apsoil.2025.105903}},
volume = {{206}},
year = {{2025}},
}