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Global earthworm distribution and activity windows based on soil hydromechanical constraints

Global earthworm distribution and activity windows based on soil hydromechanical constraints
Global earthworm distribution and activity windows based on soil hydromechanical constraints
Earthworm activity modifies soil structure and promotes important hydrological ecosystem functions for agricultural systems. Earthworms use their flexible hydroskeleton to burrow and expand biopores. Hence, their activity is constrained by soil hydromechanical conditions that permit deformation at earthworm’s maximal hydroskeletal pressure (≈200kPa). A mechanistic biophysical model is developed here to link the biomechanical limits of earthworm burrowing with soil moisture and texture to predict soil conditions that permit bioturbation across biomes. We include additional constraints that exclude earthworm activity such as freezing temperatures, low soil pH, and high sand content to develop the first predictive global map of earthworm habitats in good agreement with observed earthworm occurrence patterns. Earthworm activity is strongly constrained by seasonal dynamics that vary across latitudes largely due to soil hydromechanical status. The mechanistic model
delineates the potential for earthworm migration via connectivity of hospitable sites and highlights regions sensitive to climate.
2399-3642
Ruiz, Siul Aljadi
d79b3b82-7c0d-47cc-9616-11d29e6a41bd
Bickel, Samuel
fa8c75ee-aecb-4502-80e7-033d86330a59
Or, Dani
a0259fc3-35b3-4d5d-9540-867daf06473a
Ruiz, Siul Aljadi
d79b3b82-7c0d-47cc-9616-11d29e6a41bd
Bickel, Samuel
fa8c75ee-aecb-4502-80e7-033d86330a59
Or, Dani
a0259fc3-35b3-4d5d-9540-867daf06473a

Ruiz, Siul Aljadi, Bickel, Samuel and Or, Dani (2021) Global earthworm distribution and activity windows based on soil hydromechanical constraints. Communications Biology, 4 (1), [612]. (doi:10.1038/s42003-021-02139-5).

Record type: Article

Abstract

Earthworm activity modifies soil structure and promotes important hydrological ecosystem functions for agricultural systems. Earthworms use their flexible hydroskeleton to burrow and expand biopores. Hence, their activity is constrained by soil hydromechanical conditions that permit deformation at earthworm’s maximal hydroskeletal pressure (≈200kPa). A mechanistic biophysical model is developed here to link the biomechanical limits of earthworm burrowing with soil moisture and texture to predict soil conditions that permit bioturbation across biomes. We include additional constraints that exclude earthworm activity such as freezing temperatures, low soil pH, and high sand content to develop the first predictive global map of earthworm habitats in good agreement with observed earthworm occurrence patterns. Earthworm activity is strongly constrained by seasonal dynamics that vary across latitudes largely due to soil hydromechanical status. The mechanistic model
delineates the potential for earthworm migration via connectivity of hospitable sites and highlights regions sensitive to climate.

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Published date: December 2021
Additional Information: Publisher Copyright: © 2021, The Author(s). Copyright: Copyright 2021 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.

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Local EPrints ID: 453892
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/453892
ISSN: 2399-3642
PURE UUID: 27b610a8-f1f5-475e-bd6e-5eb4acb2301d

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Date deposited: 25 Jan 2022 17:44
Last modified: 05 Jun 2024 19:59

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Contributors

Author: Samuel Bickel
Author: Dani Or

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