Effects of earthworm functional traits on CO2 and N2O emissions from casts

Earthworm species are grouped into three ecological categories, endogeic, epigeic and anecic from their nutritional behaviors, their strategies of morpho-functional adaptations and localization in the soil profile. These earthworms play a major role in the biogeochemical cycling of carbon and nitrogen through their bioturbation activity and cast production that have specific physical, chemical and biological characteristics. They affect the sequestration of soil C through their influence on soil organic matter (SOM) protection processes. However, CO₂ and N₂O emissions from cast depend on earthworm species with different physical, chemical and microbiological properties even when these species belong to the same ecological category. Hence the importance of investigating their functional traits to see how they affect greenhouse gas emissions. To do this, we measured the emissions of N₂O and CO₂ in earthworm cast, then we characterized the physical-chemical properties from elemental and spectroscopic analyses. Finally, these results were related to different morphological (pigmentation, color, size), anatomical (gizzard, pharynx, morren's gland size) and physiological traits. Our hypothesis is that the casts of pigmented and colored earthworms, with a large pharynx and gizzard, morren's gland, secreting a lot of mucus and water produce more CO₂, N₂O.