species-specific effects of epigeic earthworms on microbial community structure during first stages of decomposition of organic matter种特异的地表蚯蚓对微生物群落结构的影响在第一阶段有机质的分解.pdfVIP

Species-Specific Effects of Epigeic Earthworms on Microbial Community Structure during First Stages of Decomposition of Organic Matter ´ ´ ´ 1,2 ¤ 3 ´ 1 Marıa Gomez-Brandon * , Marta Lores , Jorge Domınguez ´ ´ ´ 1 Departamento de Ecoloxıa e Bioloxıa Animal, Facultade de Bioloxıa, Universidade de Vigo, Vigo, Spain, 2 University of Innsbruck, Institute of Microbiology, Innsbruck, ´ ´ ´ ´ ´ Austria, 3 Laboratorio de Investigacion y Desarrollo de Soluciones Analıticas. Departamento de Quımica Analıtica, Facultad de Quımica, Santiago de Compostela, Spain Abstract Background: Epigeic earthworms are key organisms in organic matter decomposition because of the interactions they establish with microorganisms. The earthworm species and the quality and/or substrate availability are expected to be major factors influencing the outcome of these interactions. Here we tested whether and to what extent the epigeic earthworms Eisenia andrei, Eisenia fetida and Perionyx excavatus, widely used in vermicomposting, are capable of altering the microbiological properties of fresh organic matter in the short-term. We also questioned if the earthworm-induced modifications to the microbial communities are dependent on the type of substrate ingested. Methodology/Principal Findings: To address these questions we determined the microbial community structure (phospholipid fatty acid profiles) and microbial activity (basal respiration and microbial growth rates) of three types of animal manur