What are the uses of earthworms for biodegradation of organic waste materials and do earthworms help in the decay process of compost material in soil?
Vermicomposting is a natural process whereby earthworms convert waste material with rigid structures into compost. The compost produced in this green process is traditionally and popularly used as a natural fertilizer for enhancing plant growth. Earthworms are key organisms in organic matter decomposition because of the interactions they establish with soil microorganisms. Earthworms feed on soil and dead or decaying plant remains, including straw, leaf litter and dead roots. They are the principal agents in mixing dead surface litter with the soil, making the litter more accessible to decomposition by soil microorganisms. Earthworms and other soil animals break the leaves into smaller pieces in a process called fragmentation. This is an important step, because smaller fragments have more surface area to support the growth of bacteria and fungi. The effects of earthworms on soil fertility and plant growth are positive. They strengthen the structure of the soil and stabilize SOM fractions in their casts. In the short term, mineralization is increased, which makes mineral nutrients accessible to plants.
Earthworms convert waste into worm manure a nutrient-rich, biologically beneficial soil product. Vermicomposting is the use of worms as a composting method to produce vermicompost. Vermicomposting is a natural process whereby earthworms convert waste material with rigid structures into compost. The compost produced in this green process is traditionally and popularly used as a natural fertilizer for enhancing plant growth. The unused biological waste material can be effectively used in vermicomposting, using earthworms. The compost produced by the vermicomposting of organic wastes, could be added to agricultural land to improve soil structure and fertility, for the growth of plants. Earthworms are used to convert organic waste material into dark brown nutrient rich humus that is a good source of manure for plants. Worms can also degrade specific pollutants and might allow community formation of useful microorganisms. Vermi-composting, which is the use of earthworms in composting, is very important in the composting process. In fact, earthworms can greatly speed up the composting process and the castings, earthworm poop, is high in nitrogen. Also, one pound of earthworms can devour up to 6 pounds of food waste a week.Earthworms feed on soil and dead or decaying plant remains, including straw, leaf litter and dead roots. They are the principal agents in mixing dead surface litter with the soil, making the litter more accessible to decomposition by soil microorganisms.
Merci pour la question, il s'agit des vers de terre: ces animaux participent à l'entretien de l'activité microbienne du sol d'une part, d'autre part ils creuses des pores et des micro pores dans le sol (indispensables pour la respiration de ce milieu "sol") qui peuvent s'avérer très utiles. Concernant la participation à la décomposition du compost, je pense que "oui". Ils peuvent ingérer le compost (substrat nutritif) et le remettre sous forme de déjection, qui constituera de la matière organique dont on connait son rôle.
Composting earthworms feed on decaying plant matter and manure that is near the start of the decomposition process. Epigeic earthworms live in leaf litter and rotting logs and feed on organic matter that is partially decayed. Anecic earthworms pull decaying plant matter in to their burrows. Earthworms feed on soil and dead or decaying plant remains, including straw, leaf litter and dead roots. They are the principal agents in mixing dead surface litter with the soil, making the litter more accessible to decomposition by soil microorganisms. Vermicomposting is a natural process whereby earthworms convert waste material with rigid structures into compost. The compost produced in this green process is traditionally and popularly used as a natural fertilizer for enhancing plant growth. The generation of waste materials is increasing proportionately with the growth of human population and increasing pace of industrialisation. Millions of tonne of solid waste generated from the modern society are ending up in the landfills every day, creating extraordinary economic and environmental problems for the local government to manage and monitor them for environmental safety. The methodology of solid waste management has shifted from conventional disposal strategies such as incineration, landfill etc. to conversion of waste into value added products during recent years. The usage of solid waste by recycling can supply nutrients to vegetative plants and also improve soil physical conditions and its fertility. Earthworm with their marvellous capability of ingestion, digestion and excretion are nature’s most useful converters of wastes. Earthworm participation enhances natural biodegradation and decomposition of solid waste from 60 to 80 % thus significantly reducing the composting time by several weeks. To reduce the cost of disposal of solid waste and best utilization, it was planned to convert the solid waste into a valuable vermicompost. Consumption of organic waste earthworm culture is an ecologically safe and economically viable process to get beneficial products. Dead plants are able to decay faster in soil where earthworms live as earthworms disrupt the compact nature of the soil allowing more oxygen to reach the soil. Earthworms can accelerate decomposition through a series of activities, including crushing, feeding, digesting and burrowing, that help convert fresh residues to soil humus. Earthworms help to increase the amount of air and water that gets into the soil. They break down organic matter, like leaves and grass into things that plants can use. When they eat, they leave behind castings that are a very valuable type of fertilizer. Earthworms are like free farm help. Earthworm activity can strongly influence soil structure and organic matter (OM) dynamics of agricultural soils. If (≤90 days) earthworms can increase incorporation of residue carbon (C) into soil aggregates, suggesting reduced decomposition in the longer term.
Merci cher collègue pour votre réponse. Les vers de terre se nourrissent de matière organique comme la macro faune (rongeurs surtout) et la microfaune ( insectes et autres). A propos des vers de terre qui s'alimentent du compost (substrat nourricier). Ce fertilisant est très apprécié chez nous par les agriculteurs (Algérie), il remplace le fumier, d'ailleurs sa composition chimique est presque identique (analyse faite par nos soins). Maintenant selon les pays et les régions les éléments trophiques changent (cela est dépendant de la nature des déchets) ce qui peut agir probablement sur la nutrition de vers en question.
Au niveau du sol, l'activité des vers est fortement recherchée.
Earthworms use organic waste as a feeding substrate and feed them. They consume and convert into organic manure. that's why earthworms use as waste decomposers, they efficiently decompose waste and approximately 95% of the consumed material excrete out in the form of peat-like organic manure. For this purpose, epigeic earthworms like Eisenia fetida, E. andrei, Eudrilus eugeniae, Perionyx excavatus, etc. commercially used. Eisenia fetida is one of the most used species for waste decomposition and vermicomposting.
Epiendogeic Species are used for soil decaying compost materials.
Bonsoir chers collègues! Concernant ce domaine de recherche, il me semble qu'une expérimentation s'impose où les conditions seront suivies, Celui-ci doit comporter en effet des variables de compost (doses/ha à ramener par unité de surface expérimentée, de même que les vers sont à fournir par doses variables et observer les résultats (meilleures doses à fournir de compost et les quantités idéales de verres de terre "lombrics" à enfouir). Bon courage!
Bonsoir!
Il faut également etre attentif au protocole d'expérimentation (+ de trois répétitions aussi) pour confirmer les hypothèses de recherche posées. Il n'est pas nécessaire de vous rappeler les consignes habituelles connues . Excusez moi pour cette intervention et bonne chance.
Earthworms feed on soil and dead or decaying plant remains, including straw, leaf litter and dead roots. They are the principal agents in mixing dead surface litter with the soil, making the litter more accessible to decomposition by soil microorganisms. During the vermicomposting process, earthworms play an important role in converting biodegradable organic matter into high quality manure. Earthworm gut microorganisms produce exoenzymes that help to degrade organic matter into forms of nutrients that are available for plant growth. Earthworms feed primarily on organic material in soils, eating fresh and decaying material from plant roots, including crops like corn and soybeans. As they feed, they move and mix their waste with the soil in a moist, microbe-rich environment. Earthworm tunnels bring in oxygen, drain water and create space for plant roots. Vermicomposting is a natural process whereby earthworms convert waste material with rigid structures into compost. The compost produced in this green process is traditionally and popularly used as a natural fertilizer for enhancing plant growth. Earthworms directly affect the decomposition of soil by modifying the organic matter and microorganisms that pass through the earthworms' guts, which are released via casting, namely gut associated processes. Their decomposition releases nutrients and makes them available for use by plants. The worm helps this process by eating the organic matter, breaking it down into smaller pieces, and thus allowing bacteria and fungi to feed on it to release the nutrients. Earthworms produce binding agents responsible for the formation of water-stable macro-aggregates. They improve soil porosity by burrowing and mixing soil. As they feed, earthworms participate in plant residue decomposition, nutrient cycling, and redistribution of nutrients in the soil profile.
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