Authors: Xia Wang Feng Hu HuiXin Li
Publish Date: 2005/02/16
Volume: 41, Issue: 4, Pages: 284-287
Abstract
The effect of earthworms on leachate volume and leachate N losses was investigated in a rice–wheat rotation agroecosystem over the wheat growing season Corn residues 2 cm were added to field microcosms as either mulch or incorporated into the soil Earthworms were added to half of the microcosms at a population density and age structure simulating a natural earthworm population With earthworms present leachate volume was 30 higher but this result was not statistically significant P005 Earthworms significantly increased mineral N losses in the mulching treatment P005 There was a reduced fertilizer N urea15N loss when earthworms were present but the reduction was not significant P005 Our results indicate that earthworm activity can accelerate leachate production and N loss to a certain extent under wheat and that native soil N including mineral N and organic N and/or organic matter N corn residue N are more likely sources for N leaching than ureaNThis research was supported by a grant from the National Natural Science Foundation of China 30370286 We thank Dr Huang Y and D D Wang of Nanjing Agricultural University for their kind suggestions and Dr Jiafa Luo of the Ruakura Research Centre for his selfless help Finally we would like to express our great respect for the editors and anonymous reviewers
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