Litter quality modulates changes in bacterial and fungal communities during the gut transit of earthworm species of different ecological groups

作者：Huizhen Chao, Linlin Zhong, Ina Schaefer, Mingming Sun, André Junggebauer, Fengping Hu, Stefan Scheu · 发表于：ISME Communications · 年份：2024 · DOI：10.1093/ismeco/ycae171 · 被引用次数：11 · 研究领域：Composting and Vermicomposting Techniques、Invertebrate Taxonomy and Ecology、Soil Carbon and Nitrogen Dynamics

Abstract Earthworms are keystone animals stimulating litter decomposition and nutrient cycling. However, earthworms comprise diverse species which live in different soil layers and consume different types of food. Microorganisms in the gut of earthworms are likely to contribute significantly to their ability to digest organic matter, but this may vary among earthworm species. Here, we analyse the effect of food (litter) quality on gut microbiota and their changes during the gut passage (from foregut to hindgut) of earthworms of different ecological groups. The endogeic (soil living) species Aporrectodea caliginosa and the anecic (litter feeding) species Lumbricus terrestris were fed with high- (rape leaves) and low-quality litter (wheat straw) in a microcosm experiment for 18 weeks. Irrespective of earthworm species, alpha diversity of bacterial and fungal communities changed little during the gut passage, with the composition and diversity of microbial communities in the gut generally resembling those in soil more than in litter. In addition, the low-quality litter supported higher alpha diversity and more complex communities than high-quality litter. Further, gut microbial communities of the anecic L. terrestris changed less during gut passage than those of the endogeic A. caliginosa, especially when fed low-quality litter. Our findings indicate that earthworm gut microbial communities are predominantly shaped by the soil they ingest, but are modulated by the quality of lit...