Using golden apple snail to mitigate its invasion and improve soil quality: a biocontrol approach

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  • Authors: Wang, Jiaxin; Lu, Xuening; Zhang, Jiaen; Ouyang, Ying; Qin, Zhong; Zhao, Benliang
  • Publication Year: 2020
  • Publication Series: Scientific Journal (JRNL)
  • Source: Environmental Science and Pollution Research
  • DOI: 10.1007/s11356-020-07998-9

Abstract

The invasive and widespread golden apple snail (GAS, Pomacea canaliculata) is a harmful crop pest in many parts of
Asia. The heavy use of molluscicides to control GAS could result in soil and water pollution as well as in loss of
biodiversity. A sustainable and pollution-free control method is urgently needed to counteract this invasion. In this study,
we proposed using dried and powdered GAS residue to neutralize and fertilize soils. We compared the effects of adding
GAS residue (i.e., ground GAS shell and meat residue) to the effects of adding lime upon soil properties and microbes in
a greenhouse pot experiment. Each pot was incubated for 120 days, and soil pH, nutrients, microbial species, and
enzyme activity were assessed. Results showed that addition of GAS residue significantly improved soil pH, contents
of total organic carbon (TOC), total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus (TP), and available nitrogen but decreased soil
available phosphorus (AP) content due to phosphorus sorption induced by soil organic matter (OM) and high pH. The
GAS residue added to soil released nutrients and alleviated soil acidity, as well as provided more resources to soil
microbes to increase their bioactivity, although lime addition was better at mitigating soil acidity. We found that with
added GAS residue of 25 g kg−1, the soil nitrate nitrogen (NO3-N) content increased by 10 times; microbial biomass
increased by 43%; and enzyme activity of β-1,4-glucosidase, β-1,4-N-acetylglucosaminidase, and β-D-cellobiosidase
also were enhanced, compared to the control. Our findings suggest that GAS residue functions well as a fertilizer and
soil amendment to aid the remediation of barren and acidic soils, making it a valuable and useful option in the control of
the invasive GAS.

  • Citation: Wang, Jiaxin; Lu, Xuening; Zhang, Jiaen; Ouyang, Ying; Qin, Zhong; Zhao, Benliang. 2020. Using golden apple snail to mitigate its invasion and improve soil quality: a biocontrol approach. Environmental Science and Pollution Research. 27(13): 14903-14914. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-020-07998-9.
  • Keywords: Biocontrol, Golden apple snail, Microbial community, Soil nutrients, Soil pH, Waste management
  • Posted Date: July 23, 2020
  • Modified Date: August 5, 2020

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