Earthworms in some Tasmanian forest soils in relation to bioturbation and soil texture profile

Soil Research ◽  
1997 ◽  
Vol 35 (6) ◽  
pp. 1231 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. D. Laffan ◽  
T. J. Kingston

Soil properties and earthworm population density were examined for 5 forest soils derived from Silurian-Devonian sandstones (Mathinna Beds) in north-eastern Tasmania. The soils occur along gradients of altitude, rainfall, and forest type; they include 2 with texture-contrast and 3 with gradational soil profile types. The density and biomass of the most abundant earthworm species Megascolex montisarthuri, and of all earthworm species combined, were found to be greater in gradational than in texture-contrast soils. A greater proportion of the earthworms in gradational soils than in texture-contrast soils was found to occur at soil depths exceeding 10 cm. The contrast was most pronounced between the 2 texture-contrast soils and the single gradational soil that occur under dry eucalypt forest. This paper explores the hypothesis that bioturbation of surface and subsurface layers by earthworms is an important mixing process that in gradational soils outweighs the counter tendency for soil particles to sort and thus form texture-contrast profiles.

1991 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 125 ◽  
Author(s):  
AF Bennett ◽  
LF Lumsden ◽  
JSA Alexander ◽  
PE Duncan ◽  
PG Johnson ◽  
...  

A total of 1487 observations of nine species of arboreal mammal, Acrobates pygmaeus, Phascolarctos cinereus, Petauroides volans, Petaurus australis, P. breviceps, P. norfolcensis, Pseudocheirusperegrinus, Trichosurus caninus and T. vulpecula, were made during surveys of the vertebrate fauna of northeastern Victoria. Habitat use by each species was examined in relation to eight forest types that occur along an environmental gradient ranging from sites at high elevation with a high annual rainfall, to sites on the dry inland and riverine plains. Arboreal mammals were not evenly distributed between forest types. Three species (P. australis, P. volans and T. caninus) were mainly associated with moist tall forests; two species (P. norfolcensis and T. vulpecula) were primarily associated with drier forests and woodlands of the foothills; the remaining three species (A. pygmaeus, P. breviceps and P. peregrinus) occurred widely throughout the forests. The composition of the arboreal mammal assemblage changed along the environmental gradient, but species displayed gradual changes in abundance with forest type rather than marked discontinuities in distributional pattern. The highest overall frequencies of occurrence of arboreal mammals were in forests typically dominated by a mixture of eucalypt species. The position at first sighting of an animal, and the relative height in the forest stratum, were used to describe the micro-habitats utilised. In general, the microhabitats occupied by each species are consistent with the distribution of their known food resources.


2005 ◽  
Vol 14 (4) ◽  
pp. 449 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Bryant ◽  
S. H. Doerr ◽  
M. Helbig

Previous studies of the effects of heating on soil hydrophobicity have been conducted under free availability of oxygen. Under fire, however, soils may be deprived of oxygen due to its consumption at the heat source and inadequate replenishment in the soil. In the present study, effects of heating on soil hydrophobicity are examined for three initially hydrophobic Australian eucalypt forest soils under standard and oxygen-deprived atmospheres for temperatures (T) of 250–600°C and durations (tE) 2–180 min. Hydrophobicity assessments using water droplet penetration time (WDPT) tests indicate substantial differences between the absence and presence of oxygen. Heating to 250–300°C enhanced hydrophobicity from initial respective WDPTs of 2029 s, 361 s and 15 s to > 18 000 s for all samples under both atmospheres. Depending on heating duration, hydrophobicity was eliminated (WDPTs ~0 s) in air between 210 and 340°C, but under oxygen-deprived conditions between 400 and 510°C. Relationships between the destruction temperature for hydrophobicity TD and tE provide temperature–duration thresholds below which hydrophobicity persists under oxygen concentrations <21%. As established temperature–duration thresholds for hydrophobicity destruction are based on the free availability of oxygen, caution is advised in their applicability to field situations where heating under burning may occur in oxygen-depleted conditions.


1978 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. 305 ◽  
Author(s):  
GC Suckling ◽  
A Heislers

[See also FA 39, 2088] A 2-yr trapping study was made on (a) Rattus fuscipes, (b) Antechinus stuartii, (c) Mus musculus and (d) A. swainsonii in mature eucalypt forest, a narrow stream-side strip of eucalypt forest, and in 3 pine plantations, 8, 22 and 42 yr old. In each area (a) and (d) were largely and (c) always confined to dense native vegetation along streams, whilst (b) was more frequent along streams than on slopes. More animals were found away from streams in young pine plantations than in other forest types.


2019 ◽  
Vol 18 (4) ◽  
pp. 63-73
Author(s):  
Joseph John ◽  
PR Sreeraj ◽  
P Asiya ◽  
P Kathireswari ◽  
Rini Joseph ◽  
...  

Among the numerous microorganisms in the soil, earthworms play an important role in the formation and maintenance of soil structure and fertility by altering the physical, chemical and biological properties. A study was conducted in Wayanad district during 2017 to 2018 to collect and identify the earthworm species present in three agro climatic regions of Wayanad. A total of 30 samples were collected from Wetland, upland and an evergreen forest. A total of 15 earth worm species were identified and among this two species were new to Wayanad, the Dravida thomasi and Amynthas corticis.


2017 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 46-50
Author(s):  
WONECA LONG ◽  
ABDULLAH ANSARI ◽  
DIANA SEECHARRAN

Long W, Ansari A, Seecharran D. 2017. The effect of urea on epigeic earthworm species (Eisenia foetida). Cell Biol Dev 1: 46-50. The use of chemical fertilizers in intensive agriculture has no doubt increased crop production but it has resulted in adverse effect on soil properties over a long period of time. The effects are clearly seen in the soil environment including the soil organisms living in that ecosystem. This study was conducted to determine effects of Urea on epigeic earthworm species (Eisenia foetida) in clay soil. A total of five doses of Urea were used i.e 50 mg/kg, 100 mg/kg, 150 mg/kg, 200 mg/kg and 250mg. They were labelled as T1, T2, T3, T4, and T5, respectively. A control group was also set up and the treatment groups were replicated three times. The results indicated that the addition of urea affected the soil chemical properties in treatments inoculated with earthworms (Eisenia foetida). The adult earthworm population was 70% in control when compared to different treatment dosage of Urea 50 mg/kg (T1)-85%, 100 mg/kg (T2)-66.67%, 150 mg/kg (T3)- 68.34%, 200 mg/kg (T4)- 86.67% and 250 mg/kg (T5)- 51.67%. The percentage mortality minimum in treatment T4 and T1 whereas it was maximum in treatment T5 (48%). 250 mg/kg was the most toxic dose of Urea in the soil inoculated with earthworms. The results were significant at p=0.05.


Author(s):  
Д.А. Данилов ◽  
А.В. Жигунов ◽  
Б.Н. Рябинин ◽  
А.А. Вайман

Используя потенциальное плодородие посагрогенных почв, можно выращивать целевые древесные насаждения и получать балансовую и товарную древесину в более короткие сроки, чем на землях лесного фонда. Проблематика данного вопроса мало исследована и в настоящее время необходимо оценить перспективность выращивания насаждений высокой продуктивности на постагрогенных. Целью проведённого исследования было сравнение лесных и постагрогенных почв по таким параметрам, как содержание углерода органического вещества и общего азота, для прогнозирования перспективности организации хозяйства с ускоренным выращиванием продуктивных древесных насаждений на залежных землях. На постагрогенных и лесопокрытых землях были подобраны площади со сходными условиями почвообразования под спелыми древостоями, относящихся к типам леса: черничник, кисличник и дубравнотравный и почвенными комплексами постагрогенных залежных земель. Проводилась оценка ряда физико-химических показателей почв по общепринятым в почвоведении методикам: определялся гранулометрический состав, плотность сложения и мощность генетических почвенных горизонтов. Плотность сложения всех горизонтов оценивалась по Качинскому; определение углерода проводилось сухим озолением, общего азота по Кьельдалю, рН солевой вытяжки потенциометрическим методом.Анализ запасов углерода органического вещества (Сорг) и азота (Nобщ) в генетических горизонтах почв черничного, кисличного и дубравнотравного типов леса показывает увеличение содержания органического вещества и общего азота от черничного к дубравнотравному типу леса. Происходит снижение содержания органического углерода от гумусового горизонта к оподзоленному: в дубравнотравных типах леса – в 2,8; кисличных – в 7,6; в черничных – в 8,5 раз. Возобновление на постагрогенных землях носит куртинный характер или происходит по микро понижениям бывших борозд. Содержание органического вещества в пахотном горизонте данных участков постагрогенных земель находится на уровне кисличного типа леса. Содержание общего азота в данных почвах высокое от 5 до 7,4 т/га – на уровне дубравнотравного типа леса. Отношение С:N, которое характеризует обогащенность гумуса азотом, для большинства гумусовых горизонтов почв составляет 8–10, что отвечает высокой и средней степени обеспеченности этим элементом. По содержанию Сорг и Nобщ в верхнем горизонте почвы образуют следующий убывающий ряд: травяно-дубравный тип леса > залежные земли > кисличный тип леса > черничный тип леса > пашня. Проведённый сравнительный анализ физического и агрохимического состояния постагрогенных и лесных почв показал, что несмотря на предшествующее антропогенное воздействие, агрозёмный горизонт сохраняет высокое содержание органического вещества и общего азота. Ухудшение свойств постагрогенных почв на исследуемых участках не происходит и трансформации в сторону природных лесных почв региона не наблюдается, несмотря на длительный период залежности (свыше 30 лет). Соотношение углерода и азота в постагрогенных почвах по почвенному профилю показывает более высокое плодородие, чем в лесных почвах, где показатель С:N оптимален только части горизонта А1. Оценивая пригодность обследованных участков залежных земель на предмет ускоренного выращивания различных древесных пород для получения биомассы, можно констатировать, что уровень содержания органического вещества и общего азота превышает или соответствует условиям произрастания по IA –I классу бонитета для региона исследования. Using potential fertility mosagrogen soil you can grow of target woody plants and to balance and marketable timber in a shorter time than in the lands of the forest Fund. The problem of this issue is little investigated and now it is necessary to assess the prospects of growing high productivity plantations on postagrogenic. The aim of the study was to compare forest and postagrogenic soils in such parameters as the carbon content of organic matter and total nitrogen, to predict the prospects for the organization of the economy with the accelerated cultivation of productive tree plantations on fallow lands. In postagrogenic and wooded land were selected in the area with similar conditions of soil formation under ripe forest stands belonging to the forest types: myrtillus, oxalis and quercus-herbosa and postagrogenic soil complexes of fallow lands. Conducted assessment of some physico-chemical parameters of soil common in soil science methods: determined particle size distribution, the density of the composition and power of the genetic soil horizons. The density of addition of all horizons was estimated by Kaczynski; determination of carbon was carried out by dry ashing, total Kjeldahl nitrogen, pH salt extraction by the potentiometric method. Analysis of carbon stocks of organic matter (С) and nitrogen (N) in the genetic horizons of soils of blueberry, acidic and oak-grass forest types shows an increase in the content of organic matter and total nitrogen from blueberry to oak-grass forest type. There is a decrease in the content of organic carbon from the humus horizon to the ashed one: in quercus-herbosa forest types – 2.8, acidic – 7.6, myrtillus – 8.5 times. The postagrogenic restoration to the land is curtains character or occurs at the micro depressions of the former furrows. The organic matter content in the arable horizon of postagrogenic parcel of land be at the level of parents type of the wood. The content of total nitrogen in these soils is high from 5 to 7.4 t/ha – at the level of oak-grass forest type. The ratio C: N, which characterizes the enrichment of humus nitrogen, for most humus horizons of soils is 8-10, which corresponds to a high and medium degree of security with this element. According to the content of weeds and Communities in the upper horizon of the soil form the following decreasing series: quercus-herbosa type forest > lands >forest oxalis type > myrtillus type forest > arable land. Comparative analysis of physical and agrochemical condition of postagrogenic and forest soils showed that, in spite of previous anthropogenic impact, agronomy horizon maintains a high organic matter content and total nitrogen. Deterioration of the properties of postagrogenic soils in the study areas does not occur and transformation in the direction of natural forest soils of the region is not observed, despite the long period of occurrence (over 30 years). The ratio of carbon and nitrogen in postagrogenic soils by soil profile shows a higher fertility than in forest soils, where the indicator C:N is optimal only part of the horizon A1. Assessing the suitability of the surveyed areas of fallow lands for the accelerated cultivation of different species of wood to produce biomass, it can be stated that the level of organic matter and total nitrogen exceeds or corresponds to the conditions of growth in Ia –I class of bonitet for the region of the study.


2015 ◽  
Vol 85 (1) ◽  
pp. 51
Author(s):  
Gianluca Rassati

From 2005 to 2013 in Friuli-Venezia Giulia (NE Italy), using the playback method, a study on the Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, <em>Dendrocopos</em> <em>minor</em>, was carried out. The aims were to identify the trends in distribution, the range, and the habitat preferences, along with the evaluation of the responsiveness to acoustic stimulation. The Lesser Spotted Woodpecker responded in 10.67% of the points where a conspecifics stimulus was emitted, demonstrating a “strong” responsiveness to the first stimulus. In the case of a response, males prevailed, and the Lesser Spotted Woodpecker was confirmed as the <em>Picidae</em> species that tended to show itself the most (79.17% of the points). Thanks to the tendency to expand the range and to occupy new zones within the known range, most of the suitable environments were occupied in the Provinces of Trieste and Gorizia and from the lowlands to the outer prealpine zone, even in urban areas. In the montane zone, expansion occurred through ascending of the valleys and slopes. The species was found from sea level to 1200 m (mean altitude: 429±270 SD m a.s.l.) and particularly below 800 m a.s.l. (about 90% of the contacts). Of all the contacts, 71.69% occurred in broadleaf woodlands. Woodlands along watercourses were revealed to be very important (most highly represented forest type with more than one fifth of contacts), which have allowed the species to live in the lowlands and subsequently colonize other suitable environments, and the countryside and orchards, which are fundamental in the mountains for the spread and permanence of the taxon. In some areas, densities of 1.11-2.50 territories/100 ha were obtained. In Friuli-Venezia Giulia, a population of 150-190 pairs has been estimated, with an increase of just over 60% compared to the beginning of the century. Finally, some aspects concerning conservation-related problems are reported.


1977 ◽  
Vol 25 (5) ◽  
pp. 477 ◽  
Author(s):  
CJ Shepherd ◽  
RI Forrester

Direct plating and baiting methods were used to obtain 266 isolates of Phytophthova cinnamomi from eucalypt forest in north-eastern Victoria. Isolates derived by baiting grew faster than those from plating. Single zoospore progeny showed that many of those obtained by direct plating were probably heterocaryotic for determinants of growth rate, while those obtained by baiting exhibited significantly less variance among single zoospore progenies.


Zootaxa ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 4975 (3) ◽  
pp. 561-573
Author(s):  
ANNA GERASKINA ◽  
NIKOLAY SHEVCHENKO

The distribution of the often dominant in density and biomass epi-endogeic and endogeic earthworm species in forests of the Northwest Caucasus was estimated based on a large array of field data and GIS modeling of modern potential areas. Quantitative accountings of earthworms were conducted annually from 2014 to 2019 in different types of forests: sticky alder forest, small-leaved forests, broadleaf forests (hornbeam and beech forests), coniferous-deciduous forests, dark coniferous forests, and pine forests (792 geographic locations). It is shown that the native species of the Caucasian fauna dominate in the number and biomass from piedmont to high mountain forests. The most widespread species that is found in all types of forests from low to high mountains and makes the main contribution to the biomass of earthworms is the Crimean-Caucasian subendemic Dendrobaena schmidti. Peregrine species of epi-endogeic and endogeic earthworms inhabit sticky alder forest, small-leaved, broadleaf and pine forests in which they inhabit together with native species, while not dominating either in numbers or in biomass among other species. Dark coniferous forests are inhabited mainly by the native endogeic species D. schmidti and A. jassyensis. Maxent modeling shows that the species of the endogeic earthworm group have wider potential areas than epi-endogeic species. The most significant bioclimatic factors that make the greatest contribution to the distribution: amount of precipitation in the driest month, altitude above the sea level, isothermality. 


Geoderma ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 160 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 559-568 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tadeusz Magiera ◽  
Michał Jankowski ◽  
Marcin Świtoniak ◽  
Marzena Rachwał

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