The Simulated Experimental Design and Study of the Synergistic Treatment of Chicken Manure and Traditional Chinese Medicine Residues on Earthworm Growth and Soil Quality

Abstract

Annelids conspicuously exert influence upon soil physicochemical attributes through their alimentary, burrowing, and excretion endeavors, thereby imparting ramifications upon soil erosion phenomena. Nevertheless, comprehension of the particular repercussions stemming from annelid activities vis-à-vis soil erosion remains circumscribed. The primary objective of this investigation was to scrutinize the synergistic ramifications of gallinaceous fecal matter and remnants of traditional Chinese medicinal substances on annelid proliferation and soil characteristics within a simulated experiment. In order to gauge the impact of annelid activities upon soil hydric distribution, runoff velocity, and soil erosion, a laboratory-simulated precipitation experiment was executed across three incline gradients (5 degrees, 10 degrees, and 15 degrees), featuring a uniform precipitation intensity of 80 mm/h and a 60-minute precipitation duration post-runoff initiation. Findings evinced that annelids significantly heightened soil hydric infiltration and retention. In tanks inhabited by annelids, the increments in soil hydric retention were 93%, 51%, and 70% more elevated than those in control plots at incline gradients of 5 degrees, 10 degrees, and 15 degrees, respectively. Comparatively, earthworm activities led to a 70% reduction in runoff rate at a 5-degree slope, a 13% reduction at 10 degrees, and a 39% reduction at 15 degrees. However, soil erosion rates increased by 42% and 46% at slope gradients of 10 degrees and 15 degrees, respectively. Earthworms, through their feeding and burrowing activities, not only enhanced soil water infiltration but also mitigated surface runoff while contributing to increased soil erosion. This research proffers invaluable perspicacity regarding the influence of subterranean fauna on the vicissitudes of soil erosion processes, furnishing empirical evidence amenable for assimilation into extant soil erosion simulation paradigms or as a substratum for the construction of nascent models.