Soil compaction by uniaxial loading and the survival of the earthworm Aporrectodea caliginosa

B. M. McKenzie; S. Kühner; K. MacKenzie; S. Peth; R. Horn

doi:10.1016/j.still.2009.04.004

Soil compaction by uniaxial loading and the survival of the earthworm Aporrectodea caliginosa

B. M. McKenzie
, S. Kühner
, K. MacKenzie
, S. Peth
, R. Horn

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

11 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Earthworms are the major component of the soil fauna in temperate agro-ecosystems. Land use and soil management are widely reported to influence earthworm populations. We report simple laboratory experiments in which earthworm survival was tested against uniaxial loads for a range of soil conditions. Across all the experimental conditions 86% of earthworms survived. While greater loads (up to 800 kPa) over longer exposure times (up to 60 s) decreased survival; even under the most severe test conditions 33% of earthworms survived. Our results suggest that decreased earthworm populations in compacted soil are not due to uniaxial loading alone, but may be the result of shearing the soil during loading or from changes to the soil properties.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	320-323
Number of pages	4
Journal	Soil and Tillage Research
Volume	104
Issue number	2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.still.2009.04.004
Publication status	Published - Jul 2009

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 15 Life on Land

Keywords

Earthworms
Soil compaction
Stress

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Agronomy and Crop Science
Soil Science
Earth-Surface Processes

Access to Document

10.1016/j.still.2009.04.004

Cite this

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title = "Soil compaction by uniaxial loading and the survival of the earthworm Aporrectodea caliginosa",

abstract = "Earthworms are the major component of the soil fauna in temperate agro-ecosystems. Land use and soil management are widely reported to influence earthworm populations. We report simple laboratory experiments in which earthworm survival was tested against uniaxial loads for a range of soil conditions. Across all the experimental conditions 86\% of earthworms survived. While greater loads (up to 800 kPa) over longer exposure times (up to 60 s) decreased survival; even under the most severe test conditions 33\% of earthworms survived. Our results suggest that decreased earthworm populations in compacted soil are not due to uniaxial loading alone, but may be the result of shearing the soil during loading or from changes to the soil properties.",

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T1 - Soil compaction by uniaxial loading and the survival of the earthworm Aporrectodea caliginosa

AU - McKenzie, B. M.

AU - Kühner, S.

AU - MacKenzie, K.

AU - Peth, S.

AU - Horn, R.

PY - 2009/7

Y1 - 2009/7

N2 - Earthworms are the major component of the soil fauna in temperate agro-ecosystems. Land use and soil management are widely reported to influence earthworm populations. We report simple laboratory experiments in which earthworm survival was tested against uniaxial loads for a range of soil conditions. Across all the experimental conditions 86% of earthworms survived. While greater loads (up to 800 kPa) over longer exposure times (up to 60 s) decreased survival; even under the most severe test conditions 33% of earthworms survived. Our results suggest that decreased earthworm populations in compacted soil are not due to uniaxial loading alone, but may be the result of shearing the soil during loading or from changes to the soil properties.

AB - Earthworms are the major component of the soil fauna in temperate agro-ecosystems. Land use and soil management are widely reported to influence earthworm populations. We report simple laboratory experiments in which earthworm survival was tested against uniaxial loads for a range of soil conditions. Across all the experimental conditions 86% of earthworms survived. While greater loads (up to 800 kPa) over longer exposure times (up to 60 s) decreased survival; even under the most severe test conditions 33% of earthworms survived. Our results suggest that decreased earthworm populations in compacted soil are not due to uniaxial loading alone, but may be the result of shearing the soil during loading or from changes to the soil properties.

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KW - Soil compaction

KW - Stress

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M3 - Article

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SP - 320

EP - 323

JO - Soil and Tillage Research

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IS - 2

ER -

Soil compaction by uniaxial loading and the survival of the earthworm Aporrectodea caliginosa

Abstract

UN SDGs

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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