Impact of litter contaminated with glyphosate-based herbicide on the performance of Pontoscolex corethrurus, soil phosphatase activities and soil pH

• Published in: Applied soil ecology : a section of Agriculture, ecosystems & environment ecosystems & environment, 2016-08, Vol.104, p.31-41
• Main Authors: García-Pérez, José Antonio, Alarcón, Enrique, Hernández, Yesica, Hernández, Christian
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: acid phosphatase; alkaline phosphatase; bioavailability; biomass; cocoons; Coffea arabica; Coffee plantations; Earthworm growth; Earthworm reproduction; earthworms; glyphosate; Inga vera; Musa acuminata; plant residues; Pontoscolex corethrurus; Soil acidity; soil pH
• ISSN: 0929-1393; 1873-0272
• DOI: 10.1016/j.apsoil.2016.03.007

•Effects of litter contaminated with glyphosate on earthworms were evaluated.•Glyphosate+litter had negative effect on earthworm biomass.•Glyphosate+litter only marginally decreased cocoon production.•Glyphosate increased N and total P, and affected alkaline phosphatase.•Glyphosate addition may disrupt earthworm activity by causing changes in soil pH. The bioavailability of glyphosate from plant residues may be high in the soil matrix. In order to determine the impact of litter contaminated with glyphosate (GLY) on the growth and cocoon production of the earthworm Pontoscolex corethrurus as well as on acid and basic phosphatase activities and soil pH, a commercial glyphosate-based herbicide was applied to three types of litter mixed with soil. Earthworms from a GLY-free coffee plantation were grown for 132days in microcosms in a two-factorial design. The first factor was glyphosate (GLY; 21.6g of glyphosate per kg of litter, with two levels (−GLY, +GLY), and the second factor was type of litter (Coffea arabica, Musa cavendishii, Inga vera). All studied factors (except days*litter*glyphosate interaction) had significant effects on earthworm biomass (P