A six year study of earthworm (Lumbricidae) populations in pasture woodland in southern England shows their responses to soil temperature and soil moisture

摘要: Abstract There are very few studies on the effects of temporal changes in soil properties ecosystem engineers UK soils. This study addresses this lack by presenting earthworm diversity data from a six-year seasonality comprising 72 monthly samples litter and pasture woodland New Forest, southern England. These were analysed context moisture temperature, key factors affecting abundance, likely to be strongly affected future climate change. The for whole period using non-parametric regression an additive model used separate within-year between-year effects. Seasonal patterns present all common species, generally with maximum March minimum September. A majority five commonest species show strong decline abundance during two extremely dry periods (2002–2003 2006). In sharp contrast, same showed relative increase wet summer autumn 2007. was, however, no significant overall trend either or data. epigeic Dendrobaena octaedra, largest driest months which caused crash point where there adults sampled four 2003. A second congeneric attemsi, also epigeic, appears have invaded six year is increasing rapidly abundance. may indicate start shift distribution as D. octaedra has northern European frost-tolerant, while attemsi more drought-tolerant. 2007 seems damped usual periodic seasonal oscillations numbers. Endogeic worm do not pattern obviously, probably because these able move freely through they aestivate. due combination human movement earthworms (e.g. attemsi) variations local climate.