Summary
Oniscus asellus produced changes in the nutrients leached from Oie and Oa horizons of a hardwood forest soil. Soil with isopods lost more K+ (54%) from the Oie horizon and more Ca2+ (25%), Mg2+ (40%), and water-extractable S (23%) from the Oa horizon than soil without isopods. In contrast, soils with isopods lost less Ca2+ (39076) from the Oie horizon and less dissolved C-bonded S (33%) from the Oa horizon than soil without isopods. In addition, the Oia and Oa horizons exhibited different nutrient dynamics. When isopods were present, the Oa horizon leachates accumulated more Na+ K+, Ca2+, Mg2+, NO3 − , water-soluble SO4 2−, and dissolved C-bonded S, and the Oie horizon retained more of these nutrients. The type of leaching solution also had a major effect on nutrients. Leaching with a simulated soil solution resulted in smaller nutrient losses for K+ and Mg2+ in both horizons and for Na+, Ca2+, and NO3 − in the Oa horizon than leaching with distilled water.
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Morgan, C.R., Schindler, S.C. & Mitchell, M.J. The effects of feeding byOniscus asellus (Isopoda) on nutrient cycling in an incubated hardwood forest soil. Biol Fert Soils 7, 239–246 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00709655
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00709655