Table 1 Effects of geoengineering earthworms on litter cover and microbial and plant communities.

From: Invasive earthworms unlock arctic plant nitrogen limitation

 

Litter cover (%)

Actinomycetes (nmol/g soil)

Bacteria (nmol/g soil)

Fungi (nmol/g soil)

NDVI (index)

Significant factors

V, E, V × E

V, V × E

V, V × E

V

E

Heath

3.6

±0.7

2.5

±0.2

45

±2

11

±1.1

0.79

±0.01

Heath + E

2.9

±0.6

2.8

±0.3

52

±7

16

±1.9

0.82

±0.01

Meadow

9.8

±0.2

6.2

±0.7

90

±9

23

±3.2

0.77

±0.01

Meadow + E

6.3

±0.7

4.5

±0.4

68

±6

21

±4.2

0.81

±0.01

  1. Shown are effects of vegetation type (V) and earthworm treatment (E) at a community level on litter, microorganisms and the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI). Litter coverage is expressed as a proportion of the mesocosm soil surface. Abundances of actinomycetes, bacteria, and fungi are measured using phospholipid fatty acid analysis (PLFA), while the photosynthesis activity (greenness) of the plant community was measured using the NDVI, which is based on the plants’ ability to reflect near-infrared light and adsorb red light. Values are mean ± standard error. Statistically significant factors (P < 0.05) in the linear mixed effect model are given in the row above the treatments.
Back to article page