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Effects of mowing on vegetation parameters have been well studied. However, less is known about mowing effects on soil fauna and if soil properties alter this. We investigated earthworm communities in a long-term experiment 14 years after its establishment in 5 dry, fresh and moist grassland plots located in the Natura 2000 site Lainzer Tiergarten near Vienna, Austria (238–402 m a.s.l., 48°10′ N, 16°12′ E). The grasslands were either mowed once a year or every second year, or not mowed since being established. Earthworms were assessed using the non-destructive octet electro-shocking method. Additionally, vegetation composition, soil conductivity, temperature and moisture were assessed. We found 13 earthworm species across all treatments, although their abundance was generally low with 6.1 ± 4.7 worms m−2. The total earthworm abundance and species diversity was higher in dry compared to fresh and moist grasslands but was not affected by mowing frequency. Endogeic earthworms (Aporrectodea caliginosa, Aporrectodea rosea) and epigeics (Lumbricus rubellus) were more tolerant to mowing than anecics (Lumbricus terrestris, Allolobophora longa). Since plant species richness was highest in annually mown grasslands and earthworm species richness was positively related to plant species numbers, we recommend regular, low-input management to promote above- and belowground biodiversity in these grasslands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The scarcity of freshwater limits vegetable production in the coastal saline zone of the Sundarbans region. Low-cost, locally available, earthen pots (called pitchers) were tested for irrigation of vegetables along with paddy straw mulching (PSM) for soil water conservation. Field experiments were conducted in successive years (2021-22 and 2022-23) at ICAR-Central Soil Salinity Research Institute, Regional Research Station, Canning Town to increase the use efficiency of scarce good quality irrigation water for vegetable cultivation. The eight treatments consisted of: T1: Conventional check basin irrigation with best available water (BAW) with electrical conductivity (ECiw) of 1.27 dS m-1 in 2021-22 and 1.80 dS m-1 in 2022-23; T2: Check basin irrigation with saline water (ECiw: 5.82 dS m-1 in 2021-22 and 4.60 dS m-1 in 2022-23); T3: Check basin irrigation with BAW + paddy straw mulch (PSM); T4: Check basin irrigation with saline water + PSM; T5: Pitcher irrigation with BAW; T6: Pitcher irrigation with saline water; T7: Pitcher irrigation with BAW + PSM and T8: Pitcher irrigation with saline water + PSM. The experiment was conducted in triplicate in a split-plot design with irrigation methods (check basin and pitcher) as main-plots, the combination of water quality (saline and non-saline) and moisture conservation (PSM and non-mulching) in sub-plots. Clay pitchers of 9.75 liters capacity are buried inside the soil, around which seeds of bitter gourd (Momordica charantia L.) were sown. Check basin irrigation was followed as per the treatment. Lowest soil salinity development, higher bitter gourd yield and net return were observed when pitcher irrigation using BAW with PSM was followed. However, during the second year, check basin irrigation with PSM was at par with pitcher irrigation with PSM with respect to yield, net return and benefit cost ratio. The low cost (pitcher) irrigation with PSM was effective for growing vegetable crops with scarce water supplies in farmers' fields in the Sundarbans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An experiment was conducted to study the earthworm diversity and its influence on soil enzyme activities in organic, sustainable and conventional farming systems in the state of Puducherry. A total of five earthworm species namely Drawida willsi, Drawida scandens, Lampito mauritii, Perionyx excavates and Eudrilus eugeniae were present in the study sites. Four species were found in conventional and sustainable farming and five species were found in organic farming. Earthworm species diversity, population, species dominance, and biomass were significantly higher in organic farming systems compared to sustainable and conventional farming systems. In addition, soils from organic farming showed higher activity of urease, alkaline phosphatase, ß-glucosidase, cellulase, invertase and xylanase activities and they showed a significant positive correlation with earthworm population and biomass. Our results revealed that the presence of earthworms strongly affected enzyme activities in soil. Earthworm casts probably contributed to the enrichment of plant-available nutrients and higher soil enzyme activities in organically managed soils. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Windbreaks are among the most widespread agroforestry systems in the temperate biome. Tree windbreaks are expected to have unique soil properties and biotic communities, compared to adjacent agricultural fields. We compared key soil properties and communities of earthworms, bacteria and fungi along an agricultural transect through a tree windbreak into a cropped field. Soil properties, earthworm abundance and diversity, and bacterial and fungal alpha-diversity (16S-rRNA and ITS gene sequencing) were assessed along transects at distances of 0 (directly under the tree canopy), 8 (ecotone in the cropped field) and 50 m from the tree row in six mature (20- to 70-years-old) tree windbreaks located in southeastern Québec, Canada. Soil organic C, total N and C:N ratio were higher, while soil pH was lower in the tree row than in the adjacent cropped fields at distances of 8 m and 50 m from the windbreak. Each group of biota had a distinct pattern along the agricultural transect. Earthworm abundance and biomass were greater at 50 m than 8 m from the windbreak. Epigeic, endogeic, and anecic earthworms varied similarly along the agricultural transect. Fungal diversity was higher at 8 m than at 0 m from the windbreak. Bacterial diversity was higher at 50 m than at 0 m from the windbreak. Tree windbreaks made the soil environment in the ecotone more favorable for fungal communities, but less favorable for earthworm communities. Greater bacterial diversity was associated with agricultural activities than windbreaks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Paddy is one of the most important food crops in India. In Tripura of north east India, paddy covers 78–90% of cultivable areas with hydromorphic clay-rich acidic soils. As earthworms have important role in above-ground crop production, the present study deals with the earthworm communities in the soils of wet land paddy agro-ecosystem of West Tripura (India). The study was conducted during May 2015 to August 2017. Earthworms were collected from the paddy fields by TBSF monolith (25 × 25 × 30 cm) digging and hand sorting method. Temperature, moisture, pH and organic matters were estimated from 0 to 15 cm depth soils. Biological parameters such as density, biomass, relative abundance and ecological parameters such as indices of diversity, dominance etc. were measured. A total of 7 earthworm species belonging to 4 families and 5 genera were recorded: [Almidae Glyphidrilus sp. (near to gangeticus)], Moniligastridae (Drawida assamensis, Drawida papillifer papillifer and Drawida sp.), Megascolecidae (Metaphire houlleti, Perionyx excavatus) and Glossoscolecidae (Pontoscolex corethrurus). The average density and biomass of earthworms in the paddy plantations were 163 ind. m−2 and 56 g m−2 respectively. Diversity and dominance indices of earthworms of paddy plantations were 0.46 and 0.60 respectively. Glyphidrilus sp. contributed more than 50% biomass and density of earthworm community and probably had a great role in paddy production due to enormous deposition of casts ('cast hills') in the rhizosphere zone of paddy plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Earthworm survey was conducted across Bidar district that contains solidified lava and forms the part of Deccan trap of Hyderabad–Karnataka Region. Earthworm samples along with their habitat soil were collected by digging and hand sorting method from the selected spots like gutter, garbage, near bore well, near tap, garden, pasture, drainage system and fields. Ten different species of earthworms were identified viz., Eudrilus eugeniae of the family EUDRILIDAE; Lampito mauritii and Perionyx sansibaricus of the family MEGASCOLECIDAE; Dichogaster bolaui, D. modiglianii, Eudichogaster ashworthi, E. prashadi, E. poonensis, Octochaetona beatrix and O. paliensis of the family OCTOCHAETIDAE. Among these the genus Eudichogaster is found to be the most dominant and widely distributed earthworm in Bidar district. Eudichogaster poonensis is reported for the first time from South India. Soil chemical characteristics of their habitat were pH 6.7–8, electrical conductivity (EC) 0.28–1.16 mohs/cm, organic carbon (OC) 0.75–3.54%, nitrogen (N) 25.2–118 kg/acre, phosphorous (P) 6.6–48.8 kg/acre and potassium (K) 79–354 kg/acre. Earthworms inhabiting in the laterite soil showed wider range in the soil chemical characteristics, pH ranged from slightly acidic to alkaline; whereas earthworms inhabiting in regur soil of this region showed narrow range in the soil chemical characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to assess how soil organic C (SOC) stocks and earthworm communities were modified in agroforestry systems compared to treeless control plots and within the agroforestry plots (tree rows vs alleys). We used a network of 13 silvoarable agroforestry sites in France along a north/south gradient. Total earthworm abundance and biomass were significantly higher in the tree rows than those in the control plots, but were not modified in the alleys compared to those in the control plots. Earthworm species richness, Shannon index, and species evenness were significantly higher in the tree rows than those in the alleys. Total abundance of epigeic, epi-anecic, strict anecic, and endogeic was higher in the tree rows. Surprisingly, earthworm individual weight was significantly lower in the tree rows than that in the alleys and in the control plots. SOC stocks were significantly higher in the tree rows compared to that in the control plots across all sites. Despite higher SOC stocks in the tree rows, the amount of available C per earthworm individual was lower compared to those in the control. The absence of disturbance (no tillage, no fertilizers, no pesticides) in the tree rows rather than increased SOC stocks therefore seems to be the main factor explaining the increased total abundance, biomass, and diversity of earthworms. The observed differences in earthworm communities between tree rows and alleys may lead to modified and spatially structured SOC dynamics within agroforestry plots. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Present study revealed the presence of 16 earthworm species belonging to 11 genera and four families viz. Megascolecidae ( Amynthus alexandri, Metaphire houlleti, Lampito mauritii, Kanchuria sp1, Perionyx excavatus), Octochaetidae ( Eutyphoeus gigas, Eutyphoeus comillahnus, Eutyphoeus orientalis, Octochaetona beatrix, Dichogaster bolaui, Lennogaster chittagongensis, Lennogaster yeicus), Moniligastridae ( Drawida papillifer papillifer, Drawida assamensis, Drawida nepalensis) and Glossoscolecidae ( Pontoscolex corethrurus) in the soils of five bamboo species [ Bambusa balcooa (Sil Barak), Melocanna baccifera (Muli), Bambusa polumorpha (Bari), Bambus cacharensis (Bom) and Bambus bambus (Katabarak)] of West-Tripura. While four earthworm species viz. Metaphire houlleti, Drawida assamensis, Drawida papillifer papillifer and Pontoscolex corethrurus were common to all species of bamboo plantations, the rest showed restricted distribution. Among the earthworm species 4 were exotic ( Amynthus alexandri, Metaphire houlleti, Dichogaster bolaui and Pontoscolex corethrurus) and the others were native to the Indian sub-continent. In general, earthworms under the bamboo plantations occurred within temperature range of 21.6 °C-28.0 °C, pH 4.0-7.0, organic matter 0.56-5.99 %, moisture 9.6-31.7 %, water holding capacity 14.6-43.9 % and bulk density 0.7-1.8 g cm. The average density and biomass of the earthworms in the studied places were 108 ind m and 44 g m respectively. Earthworm diversity, dominance and evenness indices showed the values 1.00, 0.47 and 0.70 respectively. Earthworm density and biomass showed a negative correlation with temperature whereas those had a strong positive correlation with pH, moisture and organic matter of the soils. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Woodlands in karnataka differ with respect to earthworm species and their densities. Lampito mauriii Kinberg, Pontoscolex corethrurus Fr. Mull., and Pheretima (now, Polypheretima) elongata E Perrier are the most dominant species. Significant positive correlations were obtained between the species number, diversity and population density on one hand, and plant species number, abundance, diversity, cover and biomass on the other. A major factor for the variations in the richness of worms was accounted through vegetation-related factors. Soil organic matter had a strong influence on the worm diversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]