Earthworms are essential to the availability of phosphate in the soil, which improves the level of phosphate in the grass

Charles Darwin wrote in his work: "Is there many other animals ... have played such an important role in world history." Humorly earthworms provide a new sensitivity to the contaminated soil ecosystem And the detailed picture is well known. For a long time, earthworms have been called "ecosystem engineers" because it plays a role in soil water, nutrients and carbon cycles, and has been widely used as a model creature for soil testing. The United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) pointed out that the soil contains a quarter of the world's biodiversity. Without soil creatures, no plants can grow, and no humans can survive. Everyone is responsible for maintaining a healthy soil ecology and protecting the diversity of soil.

Recently, the Chinese Ministry of Biological Diversity Protection and Green Development Foundation (referred to as China Green Fair, Green Club) learned from the internationally renowned journal that the availability of earthworms for phosphate in the soil is crucial, and it improves the phosphate level in grass. Essence The International Department of the Green Club now compiles this article for reference and understanding of interesting readers.

Hannah Vos: "We must take good care of these small animals." Source: Wageningen University

Earthworms are the main helpers of farmers. They improve the soil structure and help plants to obtain nutrients and phosphate. But some earthworms do better than other earthworms. Hannah Worth obtained a doctorate degree, and researching which earthworms are better at providing such services. She also discovered why it was so effective in iron -containing soil.

Vols pays attention to earthworms that are vital to grasslands. In a extensive field experiment, two of the five kinds of earthworms that she studied: long -flowing earthworms, also known as Aoporrectodea Longa and LUMBRICUSTERSTRIS, seeming to be good at transporting the plants (life -free) to be available (lifeless). Phosphate. In some cases, these two earthworms alone increase the phosphate content in the grass by 20%.

Field test

But Vol said that the result was diversified. However, this can be explained by the following facts: field experiments are affected by the dry summer in 2018 and 2019. "In addition, there is an ant plague. There are 9 of the 90 test tanks with ant nests. Ant attacks earthworms, which means that my results have changed a lot."

Phosphate in the soil can be provided to plants through mineralization. Earthworms transform phosphate in organic compounds into minerals. Most of this life -free phosphate is contained in soil particles. Only a small part can be used directly for plants.

"In my field experiments, I used a single type of soil instead of the type of iron oxide," Vols said.

Vols discovered why earthworms in iron soil can better provide phosphate for plants. The metal oxide in the soil adds greater granules in the earthworm stomach. This reduces the overall surface of metal oxides, thereby reducing options combined with phosphate. Therefore, phosphate is released in the suspension.

The newly discovered mechanism is only applicable to iron -containing soil. The calculation in the model shows that this impact is far greater than the impact of organic substances in soil acid or soil, which is equivalent to the ability of earthworm mineralized organic phosphorus.

Mineralization

Under live conditions, the importance of the "Warrs effect" is yet to be determined. "In my field experiments, I used a single type of soil instead of soil mainly based on iron oxide." Vols said: "In fact, two types of earthworms can still release more phosphate because These earthworms have the ability to have a larger mineralized organic phosphorus. "

Earthworms cannot simply replace (artificial) fertilizer. "But my research shows that some earthworms have potential in certain soils," Valt said. "They are crucial to the availability of phosphate. We must take good care of these small animals."

For the original text:

https://phys.org/news/2022-08-worms-porvate-Phosphate-grass.html

Compilation: daisy

Review: Maggie

- END -