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Earthworms, macropores and N leaching
The overall objective is to study how relevant management practises and duration of grass-clover fields influence the leaching losses of N in the autumn as influenced by earthworms and macropores.
To meet with the overall objective, the following sub-objectives are defined:
- To quantify the infiltration of potassium bromide via preferential flow in macropores as a simulation of NO3-N leaching and loss
- To characterise and quantify the number, size and depth of macropores (primarily earthworm burrows) in the soil profile in grass-clover fields with and without grazing cattle
- To estimate earthworm populations (number, species composition and biomass) in the soil profile in grass-clover fields with and without grazing cattle
- To reveal the influence of earthworm burrows on nitrate-N loss via macropore flow
- To investigate the direct and indirect influence of earthworms on nitrate-N via leaching
- To reveal the influence of cattle trampling on macropore quality and distribution in the soil profile
Contact person
Professor Martin Holmstrup
Natonal Evironmental Research Institute
Department of Terestrial Ecology
Vejllsøvej 25, P.O. Box 314
DK-8600 Silkeborg, Denmark
Tel.: +45 89 20 15 73
Email: mho@dmu.dk