Why do cereal–legume intercrops support large earthworm populations?

Schmidt, Olaf; Clements, R. O.; Donaldson, G.

doi:10.1016/s0929-1393(02)00131-2

Cited by 97 publications

(47 citation statements)

References 22 publications

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“…An increase in earthworms with direct drilling under a legume cover crop was found by Schmidt et al (2003). In the same way, Riley et al (2008) observed an increase in earthworm population and activity in an organic arable system after 1 year of a grass-clover ley.…”

Section: Biomass and Abundance Of Earthwormsmentioning

confidence: 60%

Earthworm populations under different tillage systems in organic farming

Peigné

Cannavaciuolo²,

Gautronneau

et al. 2009

Soil and Tillage Research

105

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Section: Biomass and Abundance Of Earthwormsmentioning

confidence: 60%

Earthworm populations under different tillage systems in organic farming

Peigné

Cannavaciuolo²,

Gautronneau

et al. 2009

Soil and Tillage Research

105

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“…Schmidt et al (2003) found that the combination of direct drilling and clover understory in cereal systems, increased the earthworm population greatly (50%). This was primarily because of a favourable input of organic matter in terms of quantity, quality and continuity of food supply throughout the year.…”

Section: Earthworm Activitymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The experimentally induced absence of earthworms in a grass sward was found to increase soil bulk density and shear strength and to greatly reduce soil organic matter, soil moisture and infiltration rate (Clements et al, 1991). Systems with grass and clover in the rotation often host higher biomass and numbers of earthworms compared with all-arable systems (Edwards and Lofty, 1977;Schmidt et al, 2003). Organic cropping systems have shown higher earthworm biomass and density than conventional systems (Mäder et al, 2002), but this is not always so (Scullion et al, 2002).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Soil structure, organic matter and earthworm activity in a comparison of cropping systems with contrasting tillage, rotations, fertilizer levels and manure use

Riley

Pommeresche

Eltun

et al. 2008

Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment

169

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In order to assess long-term effects on productivity, environmental impacts and soil fertility of contrasting farming practices, six cropping systems, ranging from conventional arable without livestock to organic mixed dairy farming with few arable crops, have been compared since 1989 on a loam soil. A decline in soil structure quality was found in a conventional arable system with annual ploughing with no rotational grass. This system had higher bulk density and mean aggregate size than other systems, and lower levels of plant available water and aggregate stability. Opposite trends were related to the proportion of grass leys in the other systems and to their levels of soil organic matter. The latter declined markedly over 15 years in the conventional arable system, and there were smaller declines in most other systems. In an arable system without ploughing, but with rotary tillage in spring, organic matter was maintained and high structural stability was found. This system had high bulk density, but the proportion of small aggregates equalled that found in systems with ley. There were overall increases in earthworm density (84%), earthworm biomass (80%) and the density of earthworm channels (132%) in the topsoil between 1994 and 2004. Most of these increases were found in systems with 1-3 years of ley in the 4-year rotation. Low values of all earthworm parameters, and only minor changes over the period studied, were found in two non-organic arable systems without ley, indicating high pressure on soil fauna. Lower earthworm activity was found in the non-organic arable system with reduced tillage as compared to the non-organic arable system with annual ploughing. Thus, 50% leys in the rotation appeared desirable for the maintenance of satisfactory soil structure and earthworm activity. Though the deterioration of soil structure in the conventional arable system was not extreme, as the soil was well structured initially, the results may have implications for the sustainability of stockless arable systems on soils with a less favourable initial structure. #

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“…Ceci implique par conséquent une dépendance des communautés lombriciennes vis-à-vis de la disponibilité des ressources alimentaires et révèle la prise en compte du gradient de végétation. A cet effet, il est bien connu que la disponibilité et la nature des ressources organiques, elles-mêmes étroitement liée aux activités anthropiques, influencent à la fois l'abondance et la diversité des communautés de vers de terre (Schmidt et al, 2003). C'est ce qui expliquerait le cas échéant la faible diversité observée dans les écosystèmes anthropisés.…”

Section: Introductionunclassified

Abondance et diversité des communautés lombriciennes dans la Réserve et Domaine de Chasse de Bombo-Lumene (Kinshasa)

Empwal

Lemtiri

Manzanza

et al. 2017

Int. J. Bio. Chem. Sci

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, Tél : +243 998 426 414, +243 895 102 49. RESUME Les vers de terre sont des espèces importantes des écosystèmes édaphiques dotées des capacités de transformer leur biotope et même parfois de créer de nouveaux habitats pour d'autres organismes. En effet, ils modifient la morphologie, la structure et la composition du sol par leur action à la fois physique, chimique et biologique. Ils ont ainsi une implication intéressante dans la fertilité et le cycle des nutriments du sol. Cette étude a été effectuée dans la Réserve et Domaine de Chasse de Bombo-Lumene (RDCBL) à Kinshasa. Elle avait pour objectif d'évaluer l'effet de l'occupation du sol sur la composition et la structure des communautés lombriciennes. Dix-huit parcelles regroupées en 6 biotopes ont été échantillonnées: les forêts denses semi décidues, les galeries forestières, les recrûs forestiers, les savanes arborescentes, les savanes herbeuses, et les sols sous culture. Au total, 10 espèces de vers de terre ont été identifiées. Elles appartiennent aux deux grandes familles tropicales : celle des Acanthodrilidae et celle des Eudrilidae. Les biotopes naturels sont les plus riches en termes de richesse d'espèces comparés aux biotopes les plus anthropisés. Dans cette étude, le type d'occupation du sol affecte considérablement la diversité des vers de terre. © 2017 International Formulae Group. All rights reserved.Mots clés : Communautés lombriciennes, densité, richesse spécifique, Bombo-Lumene. Abundance and diversity of the lombrician communities in the Reserve andHunting Area of Bombo-lumene (Kinshasa) ABSTRACTThe earthworms are significant species of the edaphic ecosystems equipped with the capacities to transform their biotope and even sometimes to create new habitats for other organizations. Indeed, they modify morphology, the structure and the composition of the soil by their physical, chemical and biological action. They have an interesting implication in the fertility and the cycle of the nutriments of the soil. This study was carried out in the Reserve and Hunting Area of Bombo-Lumene (RDCBL) in Kinshasa. It was intended to F. MILAU EMPWAL et al. / Int. J. Biol. Chem. Sci. 11(1): 387-396, 2017 388 show the effect of land use on the diversity of earthworms. Eighteen plots grouped into six kinds of habitats were sampled (semi deciduous dense forest, gallery forest, forest regrowth, tree savannah, grassland, soil under cultivation). In total, ten earthworm species were identified. They all belong to Acanthodrilidae and Eudrilidae families. Natural habitats were the most species-rich and most diverse areas compared to the manmade habitats. The land use showed a very significant effect on the diversity of earthworm species.

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Why do cereal–legume intercrops support large earthworm populations?

Cited by 97 publications

References 22 publications

Earthworm populations under different tillage systems in organic farming

Earthworm populations under different tillage systems in organic farming

Soil structure, organic matter and earthworm activity in a comparison of cropping systems with contrasting tillage, rotations, fertilizer levels and manure use

Abondance et diversité des communautés lombriciennes dans la Réserve et Domaine de Chasse de Bombo-Lumene (Kinshasa)

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