|
Abstract
|
The role of earthworms in maintaining the soil fertility has been discussed for a long time from Darwin (1881) up to now. They have great ability to change soil composition and plant communities. The presence of earthworms enhance the biological diversity and soil fertility, and alter the soil environmental conditions (Edwards and Bohlen 1996). In order to comparison of earthworm diversity among three different habitats in the North of Iran, 120 stations were investigated. Thirteen species of earthworms identified (Aporrectodea caliginosa (Savigny, 1826), Aporrectodea trapezoides (Dugès, 1828), A. rosea (Savigny, 1826), A. jassyensis (Michaelsen, 1891), Aporrectodea longa (Ude, 1895), Dendrobaena byblica (Rosa 1893), D. hortensis (Michaelsen, 1890), D. veneta (Rosa, 1886), Dendrodrilus rubidus (Savigny, 1826), Eisenia andrei (Bouché, 1972), Eiseniella tetraedra (Savigny, 1826), Perelia kaznakovi (Michaelsen, 1910), Amynthas corticis (Kinberg, 1867) ) belonging to six genera and two families. The earthworm species differed in their eco-morphological characteristics and in relative abundance in each of the habitats sampled. Ap. trapezoides was the dominant species in all habitats, namely cultivated land, grassland and forest. Ap. caliginosa was abundant except in cultivated soil. The rarest species was Dendrodrilus rubidus which recorded only in grasslands. Shannon-Wiener and Equitability indices were calculated in order to assess the inter relationship between habitat and earthworm diversity. Analysis of diversity indices revealed the highest diversity in forest habitats.
|