Earthworms and the carbon cycle

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Earthworms excrete calcite in sufficient quantities to have a small but significant impact on the soil C cycle. In our initial NERC-funded project (NE/F009623/1, Impact of soil chemistry and diet on rates of calcite production by the earthworm Lumbricus rubellus) Dr Denise Lambkin (in collaboration with Dr Trevor Piearce, University of Lancaster, Dr Martin Lee, University of Glasgow and Mr Matt Canti, English Heritage) quantified production and dissolution rates of granules. You can read more about this project here.

We now have further NERC funding (NE/H021914/1, Earthworm secreted calcite granules - constructing a new terrestrial palaeo-environment thermometer and quantifying carbon sequestration potential) to employ Dr Emma Versteegh to investigate sources of carbon in the granules and examine variation in C and O isotope ratios.

In addition Dr Lorenza Brinza is funded by the Diamond Light Source to investigate the behaviour of metals in the granules and their mineralogy.

Electron back scattered diffraction and secondary electron micrographs of earthworm calcite granules taken by Dr Martin Lee, University of Glasgow