Scientia Agricultura Sinica ›› 2012, Vol. 45 ›› Issue (13): 2658-2667.doi: 10.3864/j.issn.0578-1752.2012.13.010

• SOIL & FERTILIZER·WATER-SAVING IRRIGATION·AGROECOLOGY & ENVIRONMENT • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Effects of Earthworms Collected from South China on Soil Enzyme Activities and Microbial Characteristics

 ZHANG  Chi, CHEN  Xu-Fei, ZHOU  Bo, LI  Jian-Long, YANG  Cheng-Fang, DAI  Jun   

  1. 1.华南农业大学资源环境学院,广州 510642
    2.广东省农业科学院茶叶研究所,广东英德 513042
  • Received:2011-11-25 Online:2012-07-01 Published:2012-03-24

Abstract: 【Objective】Effects of two earthworm species on soil microbial characteristics and enzyme activities were studied in paddy and vegetable soils in South China. 【Method】Two earthworm species (Amynthas robustus and Amynthas corticis) were cultured in paddy and vegetable soils in the lab. Parameters such as soil catalase, urease, invertase, acid and alkaline phosphatase, soil basal respiration, microbe biomass carbon, microbial metabolic quotient were analyzed to evaluate earthworm’s effects on soil biological quality in different soil types. 【Result】Results showed that A. corticis could significantly improve soil basal respiration, enhance catalase and ureased activities, and decrease acid phosphatase activities (P<0.05) in paddy soil. In vegetable soil, both of earthworm species increase urease activities. A. robustus and A. corticis increased invertase and catalase activities (P<0.05), respectively. Multivariate analysis showed that A. corticis and A. robustus improved soil biological properties in both of two kinds of soil, and especially more positive effects on soil biological quality were shown in A. corticis than A. robustus in vegetable soil. 【Conclusion】Earthworms improved soil biological quality in the study, so it could be considered as a biological resource for the application in sustainable soil management. Effects of earthworms on soil biological quality depend on their ecological categories and soil properties. It is recommended that more studies on the screening of earthworm species and organic matter additions should be performed in future according to the local conditions.

Key words: A. corticis, A. robustus, paddy soil, vegetable garden soil, soil microbial characteristics, soil enzyme activities

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