Environmental controls on the production of calcium carbonate by earthworms

Emma Versteegh; Stuart Black; Mark Edward Hodson

doi:10.1016/j.soilbio.2013.12.013

Environmental controls on the production of calcium carbonate by earthworms

Emma Versteegh, Stuart Black, Mark Edward Hodson

Environment and Geography

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

Abstract

Lumbricus terrestris earthworms produce calcium carbonate (CaCO3) granules with unknown physiological function. To investigate carbon sequestration potential, the influence of temperature and CO2 concentration ([CO2]) on CaCO3 production was investigated using three soils, five temperatures (3-20 C) and four atmospheric [CO2] (439-3793 ppm). Granule production rates differed between soils, but could not be related to any soil characteristics measured. Production rates increased with temperature, probably because of higher metabolic rate, and with soil CO2 concentration. Implications for carbon sequestration are discussed. CaCO3 production in earthworms is probably related to pH regulation of blood and tissue fluid in the high CO2 environment of the soil.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	159-161
Number of pages	3
Journal	Soil Biology and Biochemistry
Volume	70
Early online date	3 Jan 2014
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soilbio.2013.12.013
Publication status	Published - Mar 2014

Bibliographical note

© 2013 The authors. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works License, which per-mits non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.

Keywords

calcite
earthworm
calcium carbonate
CO2

Access to Document

10.1016/j.soilbio.2013.12.013

Versteegh et al (2014) Soil Biol Biochem 70 159-161
© 2013 The authors. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works License, which per-mits non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
Final published version, 385 KB

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S003807171300446X

1 Public lecture

Earthworms and their balls of calcite
Mark Edward Hodson (Invited speaker)
23 Jan 2019
Activity: Talk or presentation › Public lecture

1 Finished

Earthworm secreted calcite granules - constructing a new terrestrial palaeo -environment thermometer & quantifying carbon sequestration potential
Hodson, M. E.
NATURAL ENVIRONMENT RESEARCH COUNCIL
1/09/12 → 10/03/15
Project: Research project (funded) › Research

Cite this

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title = "Environmental controls on the production of calcium carbonate by earthworms",

abstract = "Lumbricus terrestris earthworms produce calcium carbonate (CaCO3) granules with unknown physiological function. To investigate carbon sequestration potential, the influence of temperature and CO2 concentration ([CO2]) on CaCO3 production was investigated using three soils, five temperatures (3-20 C) and four atmospheric [CO2] (439-3793 ppm). Granule production rates differed between soils, but could not be related to any soil characteristics measured. Production rates increased with temperature, probably because of higher metabolic rate, and with soil CO2 concentration. Implications for carbon sequestration are discussed. CaCO3 production in earthworms is probably related to pH regulation of blood and tissue fluid in the high CO2 environment of the soil.",

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AU - Black, Stuart

AU - Hodson, Mark Edward

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N2 - Lumbricus terrestris earthworms produce calcium carbonate (CaCO3) granules with unknown physiological function. To investigate carbon sequestration potential, the influence of temperature and CO2 concentration ([CO2]) on CaCO3 production was investigated using three soils, five temperatures (3-20 C) and four atmospheric [CO2] (439-3793 ppm). Granule production rates differed between soils, but could not be related to any soil characteristics measured. Production rates increased with temperature, probably because of higher metabolic rate, and with soil CO2 concentration. Implications for carbon sequestration are discussed. CaCO3 production in earthworms is probably related to pH regulation of blood and tissue fluid in the high CO2 environment of the soil.

AB - Lumbricus terrestris earthworms produce calcium carbonate (CaCO3) granules with unknown physiological function. To investigate carbon sequestration potential, the influence of temperature and CO2 concentration ([CO2]) on CaCO3 production was investigated using three soils, five temperatures (3-20 C) and four atmospheric [CO2] (439-3793 ppm). Granule production rates differed between soils, but could not be related to any soil characteristics measured. Production rates increased with temperature, probably because of higher metabolic rate, and with soil CO2 concentration. Implications for carbon sequestration are discussed. CaCO3 production in earthworms is probably related to pH regulation of blood and tissue fluid in the high CO2 environment of the soil.

KW - calcite

KW - earthworm

KW - calcium carbonate

KW - CO2

U2 - 10.1016/j.soilbio.2013.12.013

DO - 10.1016/j.soilbio.2013.12.013

M3 - Article

SN - 0038-0717

VL - 70

SP - 159

EP - 161

JO - Soil Biology and Biochemistry

JF - Soil Biology and Biochemistry

ER -

Environmental controls on the production of calcium carbonate by earthworms

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

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Activities

Earthworms and their balls of calcite

Projects

Earthworm secreted calcite granules - constructing a new terrestrial palaeo -environment thermometer & quantifying carbon sequestration potential

Cite this