Earthworms Diversity (Oligochaeta: Lumbricidae) and Casting Chemical Composition in an Urban Park from Western Romania

Abstract

This paper aimed to establish the species diversity of earthworms (Oligochaeta: Lumbricidae) and the chemical composition of earthworm surface castings within an urban park from west side of Romania (Timişoara City): Plevnei Park (45°44'58''N, 21°13'38''E). Eight lumbricid earthworm species have been identified: Lumbricus terrestris, Aporrectodea rosea, Aporrectodea longa, Aporrectodea caliginosa, Allolobophora chlorotica, Dendrobaena veneta, Dendrobaena octaedra, Dendrodrilus rubidus. Based on species incidence, several ecological indicators have been calculated: the constancy of earthworm species in the sampling areas, the Sørensen similarity of sampling points as species composition, and the Jaccard similarity (coenotic affinity) of the earthworm species within the sampled points. The surface castings have been analyzed for the following physical-chemical parameters: pH, total organic carbon (TOC), total nitrogen (N), plant available phosphorus (P), plant available potassium (K), and calcium water soluble (Ca). Because it is not yet clearly elucidated the casting behavior (surface or subsurface) of earthworms, and their feeding behavior, habitat behavior and casting behavior are not always clearly separated traits, and because until now it is insufficiently known how the environmental conditions affect the surface or subsurface casts production in earthworms, or how these conditions determine more than a single casting behavior for one species, there had been difficult to conclude which of the found species is responsible for the surface casting within the studied urban park. To find possible correlations existing between the physical-chemical parameters of the earthworm castings, Pearson, Spearman, and Kendall correlations (p<0.05) were calculated. The study revealed significant

The first data regarding the effect of the exotic Eisenia ventripapillata (Oligochaeta, Lumbricidae) on the cation composition of soils in Western Siberia

“…Consequently, it is correct to assume that the change in the availability of nutrients is related to the metabolic activity of bacteria and not the direct impact of earthworms [40][41]. Several authors note that the soil K + и Na + content is formed by microbial processes, including those occurring in earthworm gut [42]. In this research, the change in the К + content caused by E. ventripapillata differed from the effects produced by A. caliginosa (p<0.001) (Fig.…”

Chemical relationships in earthworm casts of two urban green spaces indicate the earthworm contribution to urban nutrient cycles

“…In Romania, urban soil is insufficiently and poorly studied, although other researches in other parts of the world have clearly shown the specific functions and services of urban soils for the urban ecosystem, as revegetation in urban green spaces or parks show benefits to human health with regards to urban design and environmental buildings (Mills et al 2020), and also acts as a pollution buffer, provides water storage and regulation, protection against flooding (Pennino et al 2016), carbon storage, micro climate modulation (Bonilla & Bedoya 2022), recreation and mental health (Li et al 2018). Few studies have been conducted on earthworms of urban soils in Romania (Iordache and Gaica 2021), and even fewer have appeared on earthworm casts, which are the reasons and the motivation of this research, as a contribution to rethinking the approach of the concept of urban soil, through its biodiversity contribution, as an essential part of urban sustainability.…”