Gh. Rahimi; F. Karimi
Abstract
Introduction: Salinization of soil has been reported as a problem in many parts of the world. Salinization could occur either as a result of natural processes e.g. high concentrations of salt in parent materials or groundwater and/or anthropogenic actions such as over-irrigation. The salinization probably ...
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Introduction: Salinization of soil has been reported as a problem in many parts of the world. Salinization could occur either as a result of natural processes e.g. high concentrations of salt in parent materials or groundwater and/or anthropogenic actions such as over-irrigation. The salinization probably affects the chemical and physical properties of soil, soil microbiological processes, plant growth, and soil fauna. Both quantity and quality of water, however, are the most important eco-factors needed for earthworm survival and development, and also biodegradation processes. Materials and Methods: In order to investigate the effect of irrigation water salinity on the survival and growth of earthworm Eisenia Fetida, an experiment was conducted in a completely randomized design with three replications under environmental conditions of the laboratory of Soil Sciences Department of Bu-Ali Sina University in Hamedan. The different types of water used in this study were: distilled water and saline water made with NaCl salt with electrical conductivity (EC) of 2, 4, 6, and 8 dS m-1. The experiment was carried out using completely randomized design in plastic containers of size 19 × 13 × 8 cm. Ten earthworms per container used in each exposure regime were introduced into the relevant test salinity by placing them on the surface and allowing them to burrow in. The test containers were covered with perforated lids to limit water loss due to evaporation and kept in 16 hours light, 8 hours dark at 25°C in a climate chamber for 42 days. Sampling was done at 3, 15, 21, 27, 33, 39, and 42 days after earthworms were introduced to the substrates to investigate mortality and weight changes of earthworms. The LC50 (concentration at which 50% of the earthworms are killed) and the EC50 (effect concentration at which a 50% reduction in a measured parameter) values for the salts expressed as conductivity (dS m-1) were calculated on day 27 and 42 by using the Probit Analysis. Results and Discussion: On day 3, no significant effect of salinity on percentages of survival was found. The survival rate of Eisenia fetida was significantly affected in the EC range used during 42 days (Table 2). The irrigation with distilled water (EC0) had the highest survival rate while the irrigation water with EC 8 dS m-1 had the lowest value. During the 39 days of exposure, no significant difference was found in survival rate of earthworms between EC 2, EC 4 and EC 6 dS m-1, but at the end of day 42, the salinity levels with EC 8 dS m-1 had a significant effect on percentage of earthworm survival in which 91.68% mortality occurred. The mean weight change of earthworms exposed to water with EC 2 dS m-1 was not significantly different (p < /em> < 0.01) from those exposed to the distilled water during 39 days, but there was a decrease in earthworm weight on day 42. The calculated LC50 for mortality after 27 and 42 days was 7.5 and 4.31 dS m-1, respectively, and EC50 for growth was 7.94 and 6.82 dS m-1, respectively. Conclusion: Our results showed that increased salinity had harmful effects on the growth and mortality of the earthworms (Eisenia fetida). Salinity can have detrimental effects on earthworms at concentrations considered safe for many plant species. We determined 42 day LC50 for mortality 4.31 dS m-1 (2521 mg lit-1). The EC50 for growth was 6.82 dS dS m-1 (3989 mg lit-1). The weight of earthworms was significantly affected by NaCl and dispersion analysis showed that NaCl concentration had a statistically significant influence on the weight of earthworms. The argument for using NaCl is that it is the predominant salt in most saline environments particularly in wastewaters. Since the salt type is dependent on the source of the contamination, it is, therefore, possible that other salts apart from NaCl could be the main compounds in saline toxicity in a specific area. The results of the current study suggest that the effects of salinity depend on the salt composition. Therefore, it would be important to assess the type of salt ions in soil in risk assessment, as this affects the extent of toxicity to soil organisms.
Hanye Jafari Vafa; Fayez Raiesi
Abstract
Introduction: Land application of organic wastes and biosolids such as municipal sewage sludge has been an important and attractive practice for improving different properties of agricultural soils with low organic matter content in semi-arid regions, due to an increase of soil organic matter level and ...
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Introduction: Land application of organic wastes and biosolids such as municipal sewage sludge has been an important and attractive practice for improving different properties of agricultural soils with low organic matter content in semi-arid regions, due to an increase of soil organic matter level and fertility. However, application of this organic waste may directly or indirectly affect soil bio-indicators such as microbial and enzymatic activities through a change in the activity of other soil organisms such as earthworms. Earthworms are the most important soil saprophagous fauna and much of the faunal biomass is attributed to the presence of these organisms in the soil. Therefore, it is crucial to evaluate the effect of earthworm activity on soil microbial and biochemical attributes, in particularly when soils are amended with urban sewage sludge. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the earthworm effects on biochemical and microbiological properties of a calcareous soil amended with municipal sewage sludge using Factor Analysis (FA).
Materials and Methods: In the present study, the experimental treatments were sewage sludge (without and with 1.5% sewage sludge) as the first factor and earthworm (no earthworm, Eiseniafoetida from epigeic group, Allolobophracaliginosa from endogeic group and a mixture of the two species) as the second factor. The study was setup as 2×4 full factorial experiment arranged in a completely randomized design with three replications for each treatment under greenhouse conditions over 90 days. A calcareous soil from the 0-30 cm layer with clay loam texture was obtained from a farmland field under fallow without cultivation history for ten years. The soil was air-dried and passed through a 2-mm sieve for the experiment. Sewage sludge as the soil organic amendment was collected from Wastewater Treatment Plant in Shahrekord. Sewage sludge was air-dried and grounded to pass through a 1-mm sieve for a uniform mixture with soil matrix.Heavy metals concentrations were found to be below the maximum permissible limits for municipal sewage sludge. After applying sewage sludge treatments, the pots were irrigated (70% soil field capacity) for three months to achieve a relative equilibrium condition in the soil. Eight adult earthworms with fully-developed clitellum were added to each pot. In the pots with both earthworm species, 4 specimen of each earthworm species was added. At the end of the experiment (90 days), soil samples were collected from treatments and were separately air-dried for chemical analysis or kept fresh and stored (4oC) for microbial analysis. Finally, data obtained from the study were analyzed using multivariate analysis.
Results and Discussion: Factor analysis led to the selection of three factors with eigen value greater than 1. The first, second and third factors were accounted for 62, 17.7 and 9.2% of the variability in soil data, respectively. The three factors together explained 89% of the original variability (i.e., variance) in the soil dataset. Consequently, three factors were retained to represent the original variability of the dataset. The first factor had 16 highly weighted variables with a negative loading for soil pH and positive loadings for other variables. The first factor, which included most soil indicators as input variables, clearly separated sewage sludge treatments. Most of the soil microbial characteristics were increased by sewage sludge application due to the high contents of organic matter and nutrients in sewage sludge, as well as low concentrations of heavy metals. Fungal respiration, bacterial respiration and microbial biomass carbon loaded heavily on the second factor with a negative loading for fungal respiration and positive loadings for bacterial respiration and microbial biomass carbon. The second factor, which included microbial biomass and community composition, noticeably discriminated earthworm treatments. In sewage sludge treatments, the dependence of E. foetidaspecies on soil microorganisms as a food source declined, because of the consumption of organic waste by this epigeic species. However, the activity and impact of A. caliginosa species from endogeic group was only related to soil microbial biomass probably due to selective feeding of soil microorganisms.
Conclusion: Factor analysis was used successfully in discriminating the effects of sewage sludge and earthworm either alone or in combination on soil microbial and biochemical parameters. A. caliginosa species in soils amended with sewage sludge had a positive effect on microbial community and biomass, while E. foetidaspecies had no such effect. A. caliginosa species indirectly benefited from sewage sludge application following the increase of soil microbial biomass. In summary, A. caliginosa species positively affected microbiological and biochemical properties in soils amended with sewage sludge due to its less dependence on this organic resource.
Hanye Jafari Vafa; Fayez Raiesi; Alireza Hosseinpur; Zohre Karimi
Abstract
Introduction: Earthworms are among the most important organisms in soil and their activities can be an indicator of soil quality. These organisms may be influenced by organic wastes application such as sewage sludge and subsequently affect soil quality. One of the quick and easy methods for soil quality ...
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Introduction: Earthworms are among the most important organisms in soil and their activities can be an indicator of soil quality. These organisms may be influenced by organic wastes application such as sewage sludge and subsequently affect soil quality. One of the quick and easy methods for soil quality monitoring is the use of biological indicators such as microbial activity. It is due to their quick response to changes in the environment. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of earthworms on nitrification rate and arginine ammonification as microbial activity in a calcareous soil amended with urban sewage sludge.
Materials and Methods: The studied soil was sampled from Shahrekord University land and sewage sludge belonged to the refinery sludge ponds of shahrekord. Based on dry weight, this organic waste had carbon and nitrogen, approximately 67 and 110 times more than tested soil, respectively. The organic waste in terms of quality and heavy metal concentrations was in class A. Experimental treatments were sewage sludge (without and with 1.5% sewage sludge) and earthworm (no earthworm, Eiseniafoetida from epigeic group, Allolobophracaliginosa from endogeic group and a mixture of the two species) as 2×4 full factorial experiment arranged in a completely randomized design with three replications. After applying sewage sludge, the pots were irrigated three months to achieve a balance in the soil. An adult earthworm per kg of soil was added and in the mixed treatments comparison species were 1:1. To prevent the exit of earthworms, the pots was closed with a thin lace. At the end of the experiment, soil was completely mixed. Part of it was stored in the refrigerator to measure the microbiological parameters. Chemical properties were measured by the air-dried soil. The effectiveness of a factor in the observed changes is shown by partial effect size (Tabachnick and Fidell 2012). So, partial effect size (Eta2p) for each source of variation (SS, earthworm and SS×earthworm) was calculated.
Results Discussion: According to Eta2p, the role of sewage sludge application to increase total nitrogen was almost twice the earthworm and had a greater effect on the property. Because of low concentrations of heavy metals and high nutrient in sewage sludge, it increased nitrification rate and arginine ammonification by 16.7 and 62.5 percent, respectively. Considering that the indices represent microbial biomass activity, so we can say sewage sludge application increased theri activities. Sewage sludge application increased total nitrogen, because provided the substrate for heterotrophic bacteria. Consequently, ammonium production improved and stimulated activity of Nitrosomonas and Nitrobacter. There was a positive and significant correlation between total nitrogen, arginine ammonification and nitrification rate, that confirmed the occurrence of this process. Earthworm inoculation affected these two indicators (p
F. Aghababaei; F. Raiesi; alireza hosseinpuor
Abstract
Soil biota such as earthworms and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) play an important role in the stability of ecosystem, and the bioavailability of soil elements, in particular heavy metals, in soils. To examine the effects of these organisms, a 3×2×3 factorial experiment arranged as randomized complete ...
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Soil biota such as earthworms and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) play an important role in the stability of ecosystem, and the bioavailability of soil elements, in particular heavy metals, in soils. To examine the effects of these organisms, a 3×2×3 factorial experiment arranged as randomized complete design was set up to study the individual and combined influence of earthworms (Lumbricus rubellus L.) and AMF (Glomus mosseae and Glomus intraradices) on soil organic matter (OM), dissolve organic carbon (DOC), soil respiration, microbial biomass carbon (MBC), soil enzyme activity and glomalin production in a calcareous soil contaminated with 0, 10, 20 mg of Cd kg-1 soil cropped with sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) with three replications. Both earthworms and mycorrhizal fungi were able to survive in all the treatments with added Cd. Results showed that Cd pollution decreased all the measured microbial activities and properties in soil. Earthworm treatment increased DOC by 4-10% at all Cd levels. The amount of soil MBC in mycorrhizal treatments was greater (1.9-2.4 times) than that in non-mycorrhizal treatment, and AMF inoculation increased MBC/TOC ratio from 23% to 53% in Cd-polluted soils. Earthworm and AMF enhanced soil enzyme activity/MBC ratio, 10-18 and 40-54% for soil alkaline phosphatase and 4-9 and 40-55% for soil urease, respectively. The glomalin production increased at 20 mg kg-1 and was about 15% greater in G. mosseae than in G. intraradices species. Although soil respiration was decreased substantially with Cd pollution, inoculation of either earthworms or AMF enhanced soil respiration when compared with the corresponding controls.
R. Jenabi Haghparast; A. Golchin; E. Kahneh
Abstract
Heavy metals are entered to the environment by mining and by applying sewage sludge and agricultural inputs to soils. These metals have detrimental effects on environment and soil organisms. An experiment was conducted to determine the cadmium affects on earthworms (Eisenia fetida) in a calcareous soil ...
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Heavy metals are entered to the environment by mining and by applying sewage sludge and agricultural inputs to soils. These metals have detrimental effects on environment and soil organisms. An experiment was conducted to determine the cadmium affects on earthworms (Eisenia fetida) in a calcareous soil amended with 0 and 5% organic matter. The concentrations of Cd in soils were 0,10,20,40, 60 and 80 mg kg-1 and growth parameters of the earthworms were measured with 15 day intervals over 75 days. Survival, growth and cocoon production of earthworms were determined. The results showed that addition of organic matter to soils reduced the toxic effects of cadmium to earthworms. In soils contaminated with Cd the weights of the earthworms decreased with increasing the concentrations of this metal and cadmium had the highest negative effects on cocoon production. The highest earthworm’s mortality was recorded in soils contaminated with cadmium.
