Earthworm biomass and population structure are negatively associated with changes in organic residue nitrogen concentration during vermicomposting  

作　　者：Bo ZHOU Yiyong CHEN Chi ZHANG Jianlong LI Hao TANG Jiayu LIU Jun DAI Jinchi TANG 

机构地区：[1]Tea Research Institute,Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences/Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tea Plant Resources Innovation and Utilization,Guangzhou 510640,China [2]College of Natural Resources and Environment,South China Agricultural University/Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Agriculture for South China Farmland Conservation,Guangzhou 510642,China

出　　处：《Pedosphere》2021年第3期433-439,共7页土壤圈（英文版）

基　　金：This work was supported by the National High Technology Key Research and Development Program of China(No.2016YFD0200900);the Provincial Natural Science Foundation of Guangdong,China(No.2016 A030313773).

摘　　要：Vermicomposting is an efficient and environmentally friendly technology to dispose of agricultural organic residues.The efficiency of organic residue decomposition during vermicomposting is directly affected by the biomass and population structure of earthworms.In this study,we investigated how the earthworm biomass and population structure responded to changes in the physicochemical properties of six types of organic residue(cattle dung,herbal waste,rice straw,soybean straw,garden waste,and tea residues)during vermicomposting.Each type of organic residues was placed in a pot with earthworms Eisenia fetida,and the physicochemical properties of the organic residues and earthworm growth dynamics were recorded at 0,30,60,and 90 d of vermicomposting.The biomass and population structure of earthworms were stable or increased in rice straw,garden waste,and cattle dung within 60 d of vermicomposting,whereas in tea residues and herb waste,very little earthworm activity(3 adults and 2 cocoons)was recorded on day 30.Among the physicochemical parameters,the substrate C/N ratio was negatively correlated with earthworm growth dynamics.Decomposing organic residues showed higher NH_(4)^(+)-N and NH_(3)^(-)-N concentrations but a lower total organic carbon content,which negatively affected earthworm growth and reproduction.We recommend that chemical properties of vermicomposting systems should be monitored regularly.At the threshold levels of decomposing organic residue NH_(4)^(+)-N and NH_(3)^(-)-N concentrations,earthworms should be removed and the vermicompost can be harvested.Small-and large-scale farmers thus need to monitor the physicochemical properties of vermicompost to sustain active earthworm populations.

关 键 词：ammonium nitrogen decomposing earthworm biological traits Eisenia fetida nitrate nitrogen organic residue dispose physicochemical property 

分 类 号：S154.1[农业科学—土壤学] S141.4[农业科学—农业基础科学]