Earthworm induced mineral weathering: preliminary results

Daniel Carpenter; Mark E. Hodson; Paul Eggleton; Caroline Kirk

doi:10.1016/j.ejsobi.2007.08.053

Earthworm induced mineral weathering: preliminary results

Daniel Carpenter, Mark E. Hodson, Paul Eggleton, Caroline Kirk

Environment and Geography

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

The role of earthworms in mineral weathering was investigated. The minerals anorthite, biotite, olivine, smectite and kaolinite were mixed with a sterilized manure substrate. Two treatments were used: minerals with earthworms and minerals without earthworms. The earthworms were established in mesocosms and left to process the substrates for 1, 2, 4 and 6 months. Four sacrificial replicates were used per time period. Changes in mineralogy were analysed using X-ray diffraction. Weathering of anorthite, biotite, smectite and kaolinite appears to be accelerated by the earthworms. There was evidence for the transformation of smectite to illite and the formation of a new mineral phase from kaolinite. Olivine appears not to be weathered by earthworms. Different minerals also appear to weather at different rates. (c) 2007 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	S176-S183
Number of pages	8
Journal	European journal of soil biology
Volume	43
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejsobi.2007.08.053
Publication status	Published - Nov 2007

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10.1016/j.ejsobi.2007.08.053

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@article{af3bf31c42914c2f890860ee91c42d23,

title = "Earthworm induced mineral weathering: preliminary results",

abstract = "The role of earthworms in mineral weathering was investigated. The minerals anorthite, biotite, olivine, smectite and kaolinite were mixed with a sterilized manure substrate. Two treatments were used: minerals with earthworms and minerals without earthworms. The earthworms were established in mesocosms and left to process the substrates for 1, 2, 4 and 6 months. Four sacrificial replicates were used per time period. Changes in mineralogy were analysed using X-ray diffraction. Weathering of anorthite, biotite, smectite and kaolinite appears to be accelerated by the earthworms. There was evidence for the transformation of smectite to illite and the formation of a new mineral phase from kaolinite. Olivine appears not to be weathered by earthworms. Different minerals also appear to weather at different rates. (c) 2007 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.",

author = "Daniel Carpenter and Hodson, {Mark E.} and Paul Eggleton and Caroline Kirk",

year = "2007",

month = nov,

doi = "10.1016/j.ejsobi.2007.08.053",

language = "English",

volume = "43",

pages = "S176--S183",

journal = "European journal of soil biology",

issn = "1164-5563",

publisher = "Elsevier",

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TY - JOUR

T1 - Earthworm induced mineral weathering

T2 - preliminary results

AU - Carpenter, Daniel

AU - Hodson, Mark E.

AU - Eggleton, Paul

AU - Kirk, Caroline

PY - 2007/11

Y1 - 2007/11

N2 - The role of earthworms in mineral weathering was investigated. The minerals anorthite, biotite, olivine, smectite and kaolinite were mixed with a sterilized manure substrate. Two treatments were used: minerals with earthworms and minerals without earthworms. The earthworms were established in mesocosms and left to process the substrates for 1, 2, 4 and 6 months. Four sacrificial replicates were used per time period. Changes in mineralogy were analysed using X-ray diffraction. Weathering of anorthite, biotite, smectite and kaolinite appears to be accelerated by the earthworms. There was evidence for the transformation of smectite to illite and the formation of a new mineral phase from kaolinite. Olivine appears not to be weathered by earthworms. Different minerals also appear to weather at different rates. (c) 2007 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

AB - The role of earthworms in mineral weathering was investigated. The minerals anorthite, biotite, olivine, smectite and kaolinite were mixed with a sterilized manure substrate. Two treatments were used: minerals with earthworms and minerals without earthworms. The earthworms were established in mesocosms and left to process the substrates for 1, 2, 4 and 6 months. Four sacrificial replicates were used per time period. Changes in mineralogy were analysed using X-ray diffraction. Weathering of anorthite, biotite, smectite and kaolinite appears to be accelerated by the earthworms. There was evidence for the transformation of smectite to illite and the formation of a new mineral phase from kaolinite. Olivine appears not to be weathered by earthworms. Different minerals also appear to weather at different rates. (c) 2007 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

U2 - 10.1016/j.ejsobi.2007.08.053

DO - 10.1016/j.ejsobi.2007.08.053

M3 - Article

SN - 1164-5563

VL - 43

SP - S176-S183

JO - European journal of soil biology

JF - European journal of soil biology

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