Drilosphere
Encyclopedia
The drilosphere is the part of the soil
influenced by earthworm
secretions and castings. Specifically, it is the fraction of soil which has gone through the digestive tract of earthworms; or the lining of an earthworm burrow. The average thickness of the drilosphere (lining of an earthworm burrow) is 2mm.
Through the drilosphere, earthworms influence soil microbial communities, with effects on microbial processes related to soil organic matter
and nutrient dynamics. A study of one soil type found contained within the drilosphere 40 per cent of the aerobic
(and 13 per cent of anaerobic
) nitrogen-fixing bacteria and 16 per cent of the denitrifiers. The drilosphere is generally richer in nitrogen, phosphorus, and humified organic material than the surrounding soil. This is probably because earthworms preferentially ingest plant reside such as leaf and root litter, or occasionally fungi.
The term was coined by M. B. Bouché.
Soil
Soil is a natural body consisting of layers of mineral constituents of variable thicknesses, which differ from the parent materials in their morphological, physical, chemical, and mineralogical characteristics...
influenced by earthworm
Earthworm
Earthworm is the common name for the largest members of Oligochaeta in the phylum Annelida. In classical systems they were placed in the order Opisthopora, on the basis of the male pores opening posterior to the female pores, even though the internal male segments are anterior to the female...
secretions and castings. Specifically, it is the fraction of soil which has gone through the digestive tract of earthworms; or the lining of an earthworm burrow. The average thickness of the drilosphere (lining of an earthworm burrow) is 2mm.
Through the drilosphere, earthworms influence soil microbial communities, with effects on microbial processes related to soil organic matter
Soil organic matter
Organic matter is matter that has come from a once-living organism; is capable of decay, or the product of decay; or is composed of organic compounds...
and nutrient dynamics. A study of one soil type found contained within the drilosphere 40 per cent of the aerobic
Aerobic organism
An aerobic organism or aerobe is an organism that can survive and grow in an oxygenated environment.Faculitative anaerobes grow and survive in an oxygenated environment and so do aerotolerant anaerobes.-Glucose:...
(and 13 per cent of anaerobic
Anaerobic organism
An anaerobic organism or anaerobe is any organism that does not require oxygen for growth. It could possibly react negatively and may even die if oxygen is present...
) nitrogen-fixing bacteria and 16 per cent of the denitrifiers. The drilosphere is generally richer in nitrogen, phosphorus, and humified organic material than the surrounding soil. This is probably because earthworms preferentially ingest plant reside such as leaf and root litter, or occasionally fungi.
The term was coined by M. B. Bouché.