Relationships between earthworms and some plant species in a meadow

Effects of Cultivation and Grazing Exclusion on the Soil Macro-faunal Community of Semiarid Sandy Grasslands in Northern China

“…In addition, the dominance of a homogeneous herbaceous cover created by monoculture vegetation in the cultivated soils may result in markedly lower density and taxonomic richness together with a lower value of the associated Shannon's diversity index (Scheu, 1992). Conversely, the spatial variability of plant cover strongly influences the diversity of soil faunal community (Babel et al, 1992). Group richness and Shannon's index were markedly lower in the cultivated soils than in the soils of the ungrazed sites.…”

Use of earthworms (Eisenia fetida) to reduce phytotoxicity and promote humification of pre-composted olive oil mill wastewater

“…15 -17 On the other hand, the presence of plants could affect earthworm development since they are considered to feed on roots 18 and are found to concentrate in the rhizosphere zone. 19,20 It has been hypothesized that plants, at the rhizosphere level, provide a complex and dynamic microenvironment in which microorganisms and earthworms, in association with roots, form unique communities that have a high metabolic activity and considerable potential for the detoxification of OMWW. 21,22 In view of this, the aim of the present study was to evaluate the feasibility of promoting humification and reducing the phytotoxicity of OMWW through: (1) OMWW adsorbed onto strawchip bulking materials in order to obtain a pre-composted material (CM), thus affecting positively the biochemical characteristics and making it suitable for living organisms; and (2) CM treatment with earthworms (Eisenia fetida) and/or oat seedlings (Avena sativa L.) in order to drive the process forward and production of a nontoxic, high-quality, biologically active organic fertilizer (E and EP vermicomposts, respectively).…”

The heterogeneity of humus components in a virgin beech forest

“…Small-scale variations in the composition of topsoil profiles may occur under the influence of vegetation changes [4,25,26] or microtopography [16,22]. Both may reflect changes in site conditions occurring in the course of time [7,10].…”