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| DOI: | 10.1016/j.apsoil.2008.11.007 |
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| Web URL(s): | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0929139308001819
Last checked: 10/13/2014
Access conditions: Item is within a limited-access website |
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| Publication Type:
| Refereed |
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| Author(s): | Aira, Manuel;
Piearce, Trevor G. |
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| Author Affiliation: | Department of Biological Sciences, Lancaster University, Lancaster, UK |
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| Title: | The earthworm Lumbricus terrestris favours the establishment of Lolium perenne over Agrostis capillaris seedlings through seed consumption and burial |
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| Section: | Short communication
Other records with the "Short communication" Section
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| Source: | Applied Soil Ecology. Vol. 41, No. 3, March 2009, p. 360-363. |
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| Publishing Information: | Amsterdam, The Netherlands: Elsevier Science |
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| # of Pages: | 4 |
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| Keywords: | TIC Keywords: Agrostis tenuis; Growth analysis; Lolium perenne; Lumbricus terrestris; Seed germination; Seeding depth
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| Abstract/Contents: | "We studied the effects of the anecic earthworm Lumbricus terrestris L. on seed germination of two plant species to understand the mechanisms underlying earthworm-seed interactions. We set up microcosms with seeds of Lolium perenne L. (large seeds) and Agrostis capillaris L. (small seeds), in a loam based compost, with and without earthworms. We buried seeds at three depths and recorded their germination, we also examined to what depth earthworms buried seeds, and we studied seed viability after transit through the gut of earthworms. Earthworms dramatically reduced the numbers of A. capillaris seeds germinating, but did not modify the germination of L. perenne seeds. Earthworms did, however, increase the biomass of L. perenne seedlings. When we buried the seeds, those from A. capillaris rarely germinated when they were placed below 7 cm, unlike L. perenne seeds. Earthworms buried the seeds of L. perenne to a depth of 15 cm. Passage of seeds through the gut of earthworms had a detrimental effect on A. capillaris seed viability, while L. perenne seeds remained unaffected. While our results show that earthworm activity can strongly influence grass seed germination and plant establishment in microcosm experiments, further work is needed to asses [assess] the implications of earthworm-seed interactions for vegetation dynamics in the field." |
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| Language: | English |
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| References: | 10 |
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| Note: | Tables
Graphs |
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| ASA/CSSA/SSSA Citation (Crop Science-Like - may be incomplete):
Aira, M., and T. G. Piearce. 2009. The earthworm Lumbricus terrestris favours the establishment of Lolium perenne over Agrostis capillaris seedlings through seed consumption and burial. Applied Soil Ecology. 41(3):p. 360-363. |
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| DOI: 10.1016/j.apsoil.2008.11.007 |
| Web URL(s):
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0929139308001819
Last checked: 10/13/2014
Access conditions: Item is within a limited-access website |
| 
MSU catalog number: b4898681 |
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