Bacterial composition of tropical earthworm casts. soil metagenome

Tropical soils are often nutrients-depleted in their mineral form, constraining crop growth. Therefore any process leading to the mineralization of N and P trapped into the soil organic matter need to be studied with the hope to constitute a durable agricultural tool in the future. Priming effect (PE) is defined as a stimulation of the soil organic matter mineralization (SOM) by a fresh organic matter amendment (FOM). But this microbially-mediated process is not completely understood. Endogeic earthworms are ecosystem engineers known to influence the dynamic of SOM, by the wakening of soil microbial activities. During a laboratory study we followed the capacity of 3 different worm specimens (Pontoscolex corethrurus, Kynotus parvus and Dichogaster saliens) to stimulate or inhibit a Priming effect generated by a wheat straw amendment.