Environmental Role of Earthworm (Lumbricidae) in Formation of Soil Buffering Capacity Against Copper Contamination in Remediated Soil, Steppe Zone of Ukraine

Yuriy Kulbachko, Iryna Loza, Oleg Didur and Angelina Kryuchkova

A chapter in Soil Contamination - Current Consequences and Further Solutions from IntechOpen

Abstract: The study allowed effect of earthworm casting activities on soil buffering against copper compounds within the territory remediated after coal mining (Western Donbass, Ukraine). Assay of copper immobilization/mobilization was performed in earthworm casts (excretions) and artificial remediated soil. Efficiency of immobilization in the casts (humus-free and humic variants) was more (23 and 43%, respectively) than efficiency of immobilization in the initial soil: loess-like loam and chernozem (19.9 and 40.1%, respectively). Thus, earthworm ecoservice activity changed positively environmental conditions of remediated soil and naturalization of artificial edaphotopes within remediated lands in steppe zone. Environmental quality of remediated soil enriched in earthworm casts was confirmed to be improved.

Keywords: contaminated soil; earthworm vital activity; remediated soil; buffering capacity; copper contamination; sustainable development (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q57 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:ito:pchaps:106239

DOI: 10.5772/64722

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