Ring-Testing and Field-Validation of a Terrestrial Model Ecosystem (TME) – An Instrument for Testing Potentially Harmful Substances: Conceptual Approach and Study Design

Knacker, Thomas; Gestel, Cornelis A.M. van; Jones, Susan; Soares, Amadeu M.V.M.; Schallnaß, Hans-Joachim; Förster, Bernhard; Edwards, C. A.

doi:10.1023/b:ectx.0000012402.38786.01

Cited by 103 publications

(68 citation statements)

References 16 publications

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“…Following the harvesting of above ground plant material, the pots were placed in a water drip setup (Knacker et al 2004) containing 500 ml of tap water. Water was dripped into the pots for 1 h. The resulting leachate was collected in a bottle connected to the pot with a tube to prevent evaporation and stored at −20°C until further analysis.…”

Section: Leaching Measurementsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Provision of contrasting ecosystem services by soil communities from different agricultural fields

Verbruggen¹,

Kiers²,

Bakelaar³

et al. 2011

Plant Soil

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Several studies have shown that soil biotic communities from organically managed fields are more diverse and exhibit higher activity levels compared to conventionally managed fields. The impact of these different soil communities on plant productivity and the provision of soil ecosystem services are, however, still unclear. Here, we test the effects of soil inoculation from each of three organic and three conventional maize fields on maize productivity and nutrient loss during leaching events induced by simulated rain. In particular, we examine whether differences in productivity and nutrient loss are related to the abundance and species composition of arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi. We hypothesized that soil biota from organically managed fields would improve maize growth and reduce nutrient leaching significantly more than those from conventionally managed fields. In contrast to our hypothesis, we found that plant productivity was negatively affected by soil inoculation, and this Plant Soil (2012) effect was stronger with inoculum from organic fields. Plant productivity was inversely correlated with AMF abundance, suggesting that enhanced carbon allocation to AMF is at least in part responsible for plant growth reduction under our experimental conditions. However, soil inoculation did alter the ecological functioning of the system by reducing phosphorus leaching losses after simulated rain. Moreover, these leaching losses were lower with increased hyphal density and were related with abundance of particular AMF types, suggesting that abundance of AMF and their community composition may be useful indicators of phosphorus leaching losses. The results demonstrate that soil communities from different agricultural fields vary in their impact on plant productivity and nutrient leaching losses. The results further indicate that there is a potential tradeoff between positive effects of soil communities on sustainability and negative effects on crop productivity.

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Section: Leaching Measurementsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Provision of contrasting ecosystem services by soil communities from different agricultural fields

Verbruggen¹,

Kiers²,

Bakelaar³

et al. 2011

Plant Soil

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“…Further details concerning the field sites, the TMEs and the test design are described in Knacker et al (2004).…”

Section: Model Chemical and Test Designmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…From the various methods to assess OM decomposition that are described in the scientific literature (e.g. Knacker et al, 2004), two were chosen for this project. Firstly, cellulose paper seemed to be a suitable standardized and homogeneous organic material (Bienkowski, 1990) to be applied in the TME test.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…: ENV4-CT97-0470) in which four partners (1) ECT Oekotoxikologie GmbH in Floersheim (Germany), (2) Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (Institute of Ecological Science, The Netherlands), (3) University of Wales in Bangor (School of Agricultural and Forestry Sciences, UK) and (4) Universidade de Coimbra (Instituto Ambiente e Vida, Portugal) ring-tested and field-validated the TME system (Knacker et al, 2004).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Ring-testing and Field-validation of a Terrestrial Model Ecosystem(TME) – An Instrument for Testing Potentially Harmful Substances: Effects of Carbendazim on Organic Matter Breakdown and Soil Fauna Feeding Activity

et al. 2004

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Abstract. Organic matter (OM) decomposition and soil fauna feeding activity were integrated as functional endpoints into ecotoxicological tests with intact-soil-core Terrestrial Model Ecosystems (TMEs). Cellulose filter paper served as standardized OM and was either inserted into the top soil or placed on the soil surface for a period of up to 16 weeks. Faunal feeding activity was assessed by the bait-lamina method. The fungicide carbendazim, applied at six dosages ranging from 0.36 kg/ha to 87.5 kg a.i./ha, served as a model chemical. To validate the results from the TME test, a field study was run in parallel. In TMEs the cellulose paper inserted into the soil was decomposed faster than under field conditions. The carbendaziminduced effects on OM decomposition in TMEs and in the field were comparable and followed a clear doseresponse relationship. The calculated EC 50 values after 8 weeks of incubation were 9.5, 7.1 and 2.1 kg carbendazim/ha for grassland TMEs, grassland field and arable TMEs, respectively. The feeding activity of the soil fauna showed a large variability. The EC 50 values for the effect of carbendazim on bait-lamina consumption ranged between 2.0 and 56 kg a.i./ha. Effects on decomposition were correlated with effects on enchytraeids and earthworms but not with effects on bait-lamina consumption.

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“…Based on the early work of Van Voris et al (1985), Knacker et al (2004) developed a terrestrial model ecosystem (TME) using intact soil cores. These TMEs are characterized by a undisturbed soil structure and by the maintenance of autochthonous soil organisms.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Tropical terrestrial model ecosystems for evaluation of soil fauna and leaf litter quality effects on litter consumption, soil microbial biomass and plant growth

Förster

Garcia

Höfer

et al. 2009

Pesq. agropec. bras.

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-The aim of this work was to evaluate whether terrestrial model ecosystems (TMEs) are a useful tool for the study of the effects of litter quality, soil invertebrates and mineral fertilizer on litter decomposition and plant growth under controlled conditions in the tropics. Forty-eight intact soil cores (17.5-cm diameter, 30-cm length) were taken out from an abandoned rubber plantation on Ferralsol soil (Latossolo Amarelo) in Central Amazonia, Brazil, and kept at 28°C in the laboratory during four months. Leaf litter of either Hevea paucifl ora (rubber tree), Flemingia macrophylla (a shrubby legume) or Brachiaria decumbens (a pasture grass) was put on top of each TME. Five specimens of either Pontoscolex corethrurus or Eisenia fetida (earthworms), Porcellionides pruinosus or Circoniscus ornatus (woodlice), and Trigoniulus corallinus (millipedes) were then added to the TMEs. Leaf litter type signifi cantly affected litter consumption, soil microbial biomass and nitrate concentration in the leachate of all TMEs, but had no measurable effect on the shoot biomass of rice seedlings planted in top soil taken from the TMEs. Feeding rates measured with bait lamina were signifi cantly higher in TMEs with the earthworm P. corethrurus and the woodlouse C. ornatus. TMEs are an appropriate tool to assess trophic interactions in tropical soil ecossistems under controlled laboratory conditions. Index terms: Brachiaria decumbens, Flemingia macrophylla, Hevea paucifl ora, diplopods, earthworms, isopods. Efeitos de fauna de solo e qualidade de liteira sobre o consumo, biomassa microbiana e crescimento de plantas em modelo de ecossistemas terrestres tropicaisResumo -O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o modelo de ecossistema terrestre (TME) como ferramenta para o estudo dos efeitos da qualidade da liteira, de invertebrados do solo e da fertilização mineral na decomposição da liteira e no crescimento das plantas em condições controladas. Foram coletados quarenta e oito cilindros de solo intacto (Latossolo Amarelo) de17,5 cm de diâmetro e 30 cm de comprimento em um seringal abandonado na Amazônia Central brasileira e mantidos a 28°C em laboratório, por quatro meses. Folhas da liteira de Hevea paucifl ora (seringueira), ou de Flemingia macrophylla (leguminosa arbustiva) ou de Brachiaria decumbens (gramínea) foram colocadas na superfície do solo em cada TME. Em seguida, foram adicionados aos TMEs, cinco espécies de minhocas: Pontoscolex corethrurus ou Eisenia fetida; isópodes: Porcellionides pruinosus ou Circoniscus ornatus, e o diplópode Trigoniulus corallinus. O tipo de liteira afetou de forma signifi cativa o consumo, a biomassa microbiana e a concentração de nitrato no líquido percolado de todos os TMEs, mas não apresentou efeito mensurável sobre a biomassa da parte aérea de mudas de arroz, plantadas em solo retirado da superfície dos TMEs. As taxas de alimentação da fauna edáfi ca, medidas por meio de lâminas-isca, foram signifi tivamente mais altas nos TMEs com a minhoca P. corethrurus e com o isópode C. ornatus. O mé...

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Ring-Testing and Field-Validation of a Terrestrial Model Ecosystem (TME) – An Instrument for Testing Potentially Harmful Substances: Conceptual Approach and Study Design

Cited by 103 publications

References 16 publications

Provision of contrasting ecosystem services by soil communities from different agricultural fields

Provision of contrasting ecosystem services by soil communities from different agricultural fields

Ring-testing and Field-validation of a Terrestrial Model Ecosystem(TME) – An Instrument for Testing Potentially Harmful Substances: Effects of Carbendazim on Organic Matter Breakdown and Soil Fauna Feeding Activity

Tropical terrestrial model ecosystems for evaluation of soil fauna and leaf litter quality effects on litter consumption, soil microbial biomass and plant growth

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