Environmental controls on the production of calcium carbonate by earthworms

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• 作者：Emma A.A. Versteegh ; Stuart Black ; Mark E. Hodson
• 关键词：Calcite ; CO2 ; Experiment ; Lumbricus terrestris ; pH regulation ; Temperature
• 刊名：Soil Biology & Biochemistry
• 出版年：March, 2014
• 年：2014
• 卷：70
• 期：Complete
• 页码：159-161
• 全文大小：384 K

文摘

<em>Lumbricus terrestrisem> 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聽掳C) and four atmospheric [CO₂] (439-3793聽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.