Details
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 169-189 |
| Number of pages | 21 |
| Journal | Annual review of microbiology |
| Volume | 61 |
| Publication status | Published - 2007 |
| Externally published | Yes |
Abstract
The gut of the earthworm constitutes a mobile anoxic microzone to which the microorganisms of aerated soils are subjected. During gut passage, the in situ factors of the earthworm gut, which include anoxia and high concentrations of organic substrates, appear to greatly stimulate a subset of ingested soil microorganisms, including denitrifying and fermentative bacteria. The selective stimulation of ingested soil microbes by the unique microconditions of the earthworm gut (a) results in the in vivo emission of denitrification-derived dinitrogen (N2) and the greenhouse gas nitrous oxide (N2O) by the earthworm, and (b) might affect the fitness, culturability, and diversity of certain members of soil microbial biomes. These observations illustrate the impact that soil macrofauna might have on terrestrial nitrogen cycle processes via their transient hosting of ingested prokaryotes.
Keywords
- Denitrification, Fermentation, Greenhouse gases, Invertebrate microbiology, Mutualisitc digestive system, Nitrous oxide
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Immunology and Microbiology(all)
- Microbiology
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In: Annual review of microbiology, Vol. 61, 2007, p. 169-189.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article › Research › peer review
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - As the worm turns
T2 - The earthworm gut as a transient habitat for soil microbial biomes
AU - Drake, Harold L.
AU - Horn, Marcus A.
N1 - Copyright: Copyright 2008 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.
PY - 2007
Y1 - 2007
N2 - The gut of the earthworm constitutes a mobile anoxic microzone to which the microorganisms of aerated soils are subjected. During gut passage, the in situ factors of the earthworm gut, which include anoxia and high concentrations of organic substrates, appear to greatly stimulate a subset of ingested soil microorganisms, including denitrifying and fermentative bacteria. The selective stimulation of ingested soil microbes by the unique microconditions of the earthworm gut (a) results in the in vivo emission of denitrification-derived dinitrogen (N2) and the greenhouse gas nitrous oxide (N2O) by the earthworm, and (b) might affect the fitness, culturability, and diversity of certain members of soil microbial biomes. These observations illustrate the impact that soil macrofauna might have on terrestrial nitrogen cycle processes via their transient hosting of ingested prokaryotes.
AB - The gut of the earthworm constitutes a mobile anoxic microzone to which the microorganisms of aerated soils are subjected. During gut passage, the in situ factors of the earthworm gut, which include anoxia and high concentrations of organic substrates, appear to greatly stimulate a subset of ingested soil microorganisms, including denitrifying and fermentative bacteria. The selective stimulation of ingested soil microbes by the unique microconditions of the earthworm gut (a) results in the in vivo emission of denitrification-derived dinitrogen (N2) and the greenhouse gas nitrous oxide (N2O) by the earthworm, and (b) might affect the fitness, culturability, and diversity of certain members of soil microbial biomes. These observations illustrate the impact that soil macrofauna might have on terrestrial nitrogen cycle processes via their transient hosting of ingested prokaryotes.
KW - Denitrification
KW - Fermentation
KW - Greenhouse gases
KW - Invertebrate microbiology
KW - Mutualisitc digestive system
KW - Nitrous oxide
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=35848953626&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1146/annurev.micro.61.080706.093139
DO - 10.1146/annurev.micro.61.080706.093139
M3 - Review article
C2 - 17506687
AN - SCOPUS:35848953626
VL - 61
SP - 169
EP - 189
JO - Annual review of microbiology
JF - Annual review of microbiology
SN - 0066-4227
ER -