Impact of earthworm activity on the chemical fertility of irrigated soil with urban effluents

Abstract

The reuse of urban effluents to irrigate the soils of peri-urban grasslands in the vicinity of the town of Setif (northeastern Algeria) is an old and widespread practice. In this context, the present study was conducted to evaluate the effect of the irrigation with urban effluents on the biological and chemical behavior of soils. Effluents analysis showed significant organic and particulate pollution, the latter contributed to earthworm abundance and increased the richness of irrigated soils with nutrients. The analysis of turricules revealed the role of earthworms through the activity of bioturbation in the increase of the rate of organic matter as well as in the bioavailability of the nutrients of the irrigated soils. In space, permanent vegetation cover has played an important role as a biofilter. This was confirmed by the inter-site differences recorded through the measured variables particularly organic ones.

The assessment of the physicochemical quality of water intended for irrigation of Oued Méskiana (Oum El Bouaghi) Algeria

“…The quality of water is determined by the various substances which it contains [15]. The water which is essential to the needs for the plants must obey certain minimal quality standards, the excess of undesirable elements can harmful, and for this reason national and international standards fixed limiting quality values to ensure a good environmental, social and economic management.…”