Effects of Eisenia fetida on metal uptake by Vicia faba and Zea mays from polluted soils

A. LEMTIRI, A. LIENARD, T. ALABI, D. CLUZEAU, F. FRANCIS & G. COLINET

University of Liege – Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech

Soil & Water Systems Unit - Functional & evolutionary Entomology Unit

10th International Symposium on

Earthworm Ecology - ISEE10

RESEARCH

OBJECTIVES _METHODS AND

OVERVIEW CONCLUSION

Metallurgic activities

Significant heavy metal

soil pollution

Effects on human

health,…

Effects on plant

productivity,…

Effects on soil

organism behaviours

and health

Atmospheric

fallouts

-  Heavy Metals

-  Organic

compounds

-  …

-  VOCs

-  Oil

-  …

-  Hydrocarbons

-  Volatil

compounds

-  …

RESEARCH

OBJECTIVES _METHODS AND

OVERVIEW CONCLUSION

Soil functions

Plants

Organisms

Physical and 

chemical 

transformation 

Different

processes

Food

supply

Metal-polluted

soils

Organic

matter

RESEARCH

OBJECTIVES _METHODS AND

OVERVIEW CONCLUSION

To better understand E. fetida role on

metal uptake by plants

. Effects of increasing concentrations of metals on

life-history traits of E. fetida ;

. Assess the impact of E. fetida activity on metal

concentrations in soils ;

. Evaluate if the presence of E. fetida lead to metal

accumulation in V. faba and Z. mays.

AND DISCUSSION

Distribution of metalliferous sites in Walloon Region (Belgium).

RESEARCH

OBJECTIVES _METHODS AND

OVERVIEW CONCLUSION

2. Experimental design

Test organisms and test soil

E. fetida; n=20

Z. Mays and V. faba; 10 grains

Polluted soils

0-20cm; 2.25kg

2. Experimental design

After 42

days

Soil

-  Soil bioavailable

fractions

E. fetida

-  Mortality

-  Weight

-  Reproduction

-  Metal accumulation

V. faba / Z. mays

-  Metal accumulation

RESEARCH

OBJECTIVES _METHODS AND _DISCUSSION AND

OVERVIEW CONCLUSION

exposure in all treatments (no

significant differences)

. Presence of E. fetida :

-  of Pb concentrations and of

Zn and Cd concentrations

. Presence of E. fetida + V. faba or V.

faba :

-  of Pb concentrations and of

Zn and Cd concentrations

. Presence of E. fetida + Z.

mays or Z. mays :

- of Pb, Zn, and Cd

concentrations

RESEARCH

OBJECTIVES _METHODS AND

OVERVIEW CONCLUSION

2. Earthworm life-history

AND DISCUSSION

-  No effects (conc, plants) on earthworm survive;

-  No effects (Conc, plants) on earthworm weights;

-  No effect (Conc) on earthworm reproduction;

-  Plant addition (P1 or P2) increases cocoon

production and decreases cocoon weight.

Energy has been allocated to the production of

earthworm cocoons.

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 C0 C1 C2 C3 Plant Cd accumulation (mg/kg) Concentration 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 C0 C1 C2 C3 Plant Cu accumulation (mg/kg) Concentration P1 P1-E1 P2 P2-E1 P1 V. faba

P1-E1 V. faba + E. fetida

P2 Z. mays

RESEARCH

OBJECTIVES _METHODS AND

OVERVIEW CONCLUSION

2. Metal plant accumulation

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 C0 C1 C2 C3 Plant Pb accumulation (mg/kg) Concentration P1 P1-E1 P2 P2-E1 0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 C0 C1 C2 C3 Plant Zn accumulation (mg/kg) Concentration P1 P1-E1 P2 P2-E1 AND DISCUSSION P1 V. faba

P1-E1 V. faba + E. fetida

P2 Z. mays

RESEARCH

OBJECTIVES _METHODS AND

OVERVIEW CONCLUSION

3. Metal earthworm accumulation

E E. fetida

P1-E1 V. faba + E. fetida

P2-E1 Z. mays + E. fetida

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 C0 C1 C2 C3 Internal concentration (mg Cd/kg dry wt ) Concentration E E1-P1 E1-P2 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 C0 C1 C2 C3 Internal concentration (mg Cu/kg dry wt ) Concentration E E1-P1 E1-P2 AND DISCUSSION

E E. fetida

P1-E1 V. faba + E. fetida

P2-E1 Z. mays + E. fetida

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 C0 C1 C2 C3 Internal concentration (mg Pb/kg dry wt ) Concentration E E1-P1 E1-P2 0 20 40 60 80 100 120 C0 C1 C2 C3 Internal concentration (mg Zn/kg dry wt ) Concentration E E1-P1 E1-P2

RESEARCH

OBJECTIVES _METHODS AND

OVERVIEW CONCLUSION

2. Metal earthworm accumulation

AND DISCUSSION

the metal elements and plant

species

  Z. mays: Cd ; V. faba: Cu

-  H i g h P b a n d C d e a r t h w o r m

accumulation of in the absence of

plants

-  The combination of E. fetida and

Z. mays can increase Cd and Pb

plant accumulation

Complex interaction between

the metal soil concentrations

and organism accumulation.

RESEARCH

OBJECTIVES _METHODS AND

OVERVIEW CONCLUSION

. University of Liege – Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech

Soil & Water Systems Unit - Functional &

evolutionary Entomology Unit ;

. Université de Rennes - UMR CNRS EcoBio, Station

Biologique de Paimpont, France ;

. The Royal Academies for Sciences and the Arts of

Belgium.

Acknowledgments

AND DISCUSSION

Thank you for

your attention…