EJPAU 2005. Ulrich W. , Czarnecki A. , Paprzycka I. EARTHWORM ACTIVITY IN SEMI-NATURAL AND FARMLAND SOILS

Electronic Journal of Polish Agricultural Universities (EJPAU) founded by all Polish Agriculture Universities presents original papers and review articles relevant to all aspects of agricultural sciences. It is target for persons working both in science and industry,regulatory agencies or teaching in agricultural sector. Covered by IFIS Publishing (Food Science and Technology Abstracts), ELSEVIER Science - Food Science and Technology Program, CAS USA (Chemical Abstracts), CABI Publishing UK and ALPSP (Association of Learned and Professional Society Publisher - full membership). Presented in the Master List of Thomson ISI.

2005
Volume 8
Issue 3

Topic:

Agronomy

ELECTRONIC
JOURNAL OF
POLISH
AGRICULTURAL
UNIVERSITIES

Ulrich W. , Czarnecki A. , Paprzycka I. 2005. EARTHWORM ACTIVITY IN SEMI-NATURAL AND FARMLAND SOILS, EJPAU 8(3), #13.
Available Online: http://www.ejpau.media.pl/volume8/issue3/abs-13.html

EARTHWORM ACTIVITY IN SEMI-NATURAL AND FARMLAND SOILS

Werner Ulrich¹, Adam Czarnecki², Iwona Paprzycka²
¹ Department of Animal Ecology, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Torun, Poland
² Laboratory for Landscape Planning and Ecology, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Torun, Poland

ABSTRACT

Earthworms are keystone species in the process of soil formation. The present paper reports on comparative studies of earthworm activity at a semi-natural park site and a typical farmland in Northern Poland. Of the six species found, Aporrectodea caliginosa, A. rosea, Allolobophora chlorotica, and Lumbricus terrestris occurred at all sites. The epigeic species L. casteneus and D. octaedra were missing at the farmland sites. Least species rich was the farmland site with the most condensed soil where only A. caliginosa, A. chlorotica, and L. terrestris were present. The farmlands showed reduced earthworm activities as measured by cast production and macropore density with respect to the natural park site. Cast production in the farmlands appeared to be independent of soil compactness and relative humidity. Soil compactness above 1.7 Mg · m^-2 hampered earthworm activity. The total cast weight was inversely correlated with soil pH. The two most alkalic sites had significantly lower total cast weights per m² than the park site.

Key words: Lumbricidae, agriculture, earthworm casts, macropores, soil compactness.

Werner Ulrich
Department of Animal Ecology,
Nicolaus Copernicus University in Torun, Poland
Gagarina 9, 87-100 Torun, Poland
email: ulrichw@uni.torun.pl

Adam Czarnecki
Laboratory for Landscape Planning and Ecology,
Nicolaus Copernicus University in Torun, Poland
Gagarina 9, 87-100 Torun, Poland
email: czarnecki@boil.uni.torun.pl

Iwona Paprzycka
Laboratory for Landscape Planning and Ecology,
Nicolaus Copernicus University in Torun, Poland
Gagarina 9, 87-100 Torun, Poland
email: ipaprzycka@interia.pl

Responses to this article, comments are invited and should be submitted within three months of the publication of the article. If accepted for publication, they will be published in the chapter headed 'Discussions' and hyperlinked to the article.