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Specific functional signature in soil macro-invertebrate biostructures

  1. M. HEDDE1,*,
  2. P. LAVELLE2,
  3. R. JOFFRE3,
  4. J. J. JIMÉNEZ4,
  5. T. DECAËNS1

Article first published online: 27 SEP 2005

DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2435.2005.01026.x

Issue

Functional Ecology

Functional Ecology

Volume 19, Issue 5, pages 785–793, October 2005

Additional Information

How to Cite

HEDDE, M., LAVELLE, P., JOFFRE, R., JIMÉNEZ, J. J. and DECAËNS, T. (2005), Specific functional signature in soil macro-invertebrate biostructures. Functional Ecology, 19: 785–793. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2435.2005.01026.x

Author Information

  1. 1

    Laboratoire d’Ecologie, UFR Sciences, Université de Rouen, F-76821 Mont Saint Aignan Cedex, France,

  2. 2

    Laboratoire d’Ecologie des Sols Tropicaux, Centre IRD, 32 avenue Henri Varagnat, F-93143 Bondy, France,

  3. 3

    Centre National de Recherche Scientifique, Centre d’Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive, 1919 route de Mende, F-34293 Montpellier Cedex 5, France, and

  4. 4

    Carbon Management and Sequestration Center, The School of Natural Resources, The Ohio State University, 2021 Coffey Road, Columbus, OH-43210, USA

* †Author to whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: mickael.hedde@etu.univ-rouen.fr

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 10 OCT 2005
  2. Article first published online: 27 SEP 2005
  3. Received 19 April 2005; accepted 26 April 2005

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Keywords:

  • Near infrared reflectance spectroscopy;
  • physical ecosystem engineers;
  • soil aggregates;
  • soil organic matter

Summary

  • 1
    The aim of this study was to search for specific signatures of biogenic structures (i.e. earthworm casts, termite sheathings and mound material, and ant deposits) made by 15 species of soil engineers in a Colombian savanna. We thus investigated the organic matter (OM) biochemical composition of biostructures using near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) and its relationship with selected biological (respirometry) and chemical attributes.
  • 2
    We found significant differences in OM quality and potential respiration rate among biostructures. These results were attributed to production patterns of biostructures and invertebrate feeding behaviour. A multiple co-inertia analysis was performed with NIRS, respirometry and chemical results. It separated (i) carton termite mounds, (ii) earthworm casts and organo-mineral termite mounds and (iii) termite sheathings and ant deposits.
  • 3
    These results suggest that NIRS spectra might be used as ‘fingerprints’ to identify organisms responsible for soil aggregate production. Moreover, the ordination given by the co-inertia analysis is proposed as a basis for a functional classification of soil engineers, assuming that different biostructure properties imply different effects on soil functioning.
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