Effect of the earthworm Lumbricus rubellus on the nematode community in a peat meadow soil

• Published in: European journal of soil biology Vol. 38; no. 1; pp. 59 - 62
• Main Authors: Ilieva-Makulec, Krassimira, Makulec, Grzegorz
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Paris Elsevier Masson SAS 2002; Editions scientifiques et médicales Elsevier
• Subjects: Agronomy. Soil science and plant productions; Biochemistry and biology; Biological and medical sciences; Biological control; Chemical, physicochemical, biochemical and biological properties; Control; DENSIDAD DE LA POBLACION; DENSITE DE POPULATION; FAUNA DEL SUELO; FAUNE DU SOL; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; GRASSLAND SOILS; L. rubellus; LUMBRICUS RUBELLUS; NEMATODA; Nematode abundance; Nematode trophicstructure; NIVEAU TROPHIQUE; NIVELES TROFICOS; Peat meadow soil; PEAT SOILS; Physics, chemistry, biochemistry and biology of agricultural and forest soils; Phytopathology. Animal pests. Plant and forest protection; POPULATION DENSITY; Protozoa. Invertebrates; SOIL FAUNA; Soil nematodes; Soil science; SOL D'HERBAGES; SOL TOURBEUX; SUELO DE PRADERAS; SUELO TURBOSO; TROPHIC LEVELS; Zoology (interactions between soil fauna and agricultural or forest soils); Poland; Europe; Nematode abundance; Nematode trophicstructure; Peat meadow soil; L. rubellus; Soil nematodes; Fauna; Mycophagous; Trophic structure; Annelida; Oligochaeta; Trophic group; Earthworm; Bacterivorous; Microfauna; Phytophagous; Animal community; Lumbricus rubellus; Macrofauna; Peat soil; Helmintha; Nemathelminthia; Invertebrata; Nematoda; Population density; Grassland soil
• ISSN: 1164-5563
• DOI: 10.1016/S1164-5563(01)01126-8

The effect of different densities of Lumbricus rubellus on the nematode community was studied in a field experiment. The stand, a cultivated meadow on peat-muck soil developed from moderately decomposed alder peat, was located on drained fens in the central basin of the Biebrza valley in the north-eastern part of Poland. Samples were taken from soil isolators into which 0, 2, 4 or 6 earthworms were previously introduced. The abundance and trophic structure of the nematode fauna in the different treatments were compared 30, 60, 90 and 120 d after the introduction of L. rubellus. The effect of L. rubellus on soil nematodes was most pronounced at the beginning of the experiment. Thirty days after introduction of L. rubellus, the total number of nematodes in all trials with earthworms was significantly lower than in the control, and nematode numbers decreased with increasing L. rubellus density. On later sampling dates, the results were less clear and 120 d after introduction of L. rubellus no significant effect on the total number of nematodes was observed in the treatments. The abundance of the bacterial-, fungal- and plant-feeding nematodes in the treatments with earthworms was lower than in the control 30 d after introduction of L. rubellus, but significant differences were found only in the case of bacterial feeders.